Tale of the Scarlet Hero
by Enigmacion
Summary: Follow Red on his journey as he travels through Kanto to find the truth behind his father's death. Along the way, meeting friends, making enemies, having adventures and making discoveries. The origin story of the Scarlet Hero and his rise to greatness. Burningleafshipping and others.
1. Prologue

The moonlight of the night sky looms over the streets of Celadon City. Lights and noise filled the atmosphere as trainers, travelers and the like are roaming and wandering the roads. Despite it being nighttime, the city is still brimming with life and excitement.

"That was a piece of cake. The boss is gonna be proud of us." said a voice from a dark alley near the city's renowned Game Corner. Two men in black suits with an R logo on the shirt emerged from the shadows with huge bags over their backs. The first one has a scar across his face, above his nose, while the other has a silver goatee on his rugged chin along with a handkerchief tied to his head, under his beret.

"I know. I just hope we get a promotion for the work we are doing so far." said the man with the scar, searching for any witnesses. When the coast was clear, they made their way inside the building and sneaked their way to the back where there was a poster. Due to the people in the game store being distracted and addicted to their gambling, the sketchy duo was able to get out of sight through a secret stairway without anyone noticing. They then descended down a staircase to a hideout, glancing behind them to make sure nobody is following them. The two grunts pressed a switch which closed the opening that was inside the Game corner before continuing down the hideout. They took an elevator, which descended further down the hideout. A beep sound went off, signaling the men that they have reached their destination. They came out and made their way to an office entrance guarded by five bodyguards, which are all dressed in navy blue suits and shades.

"State your reason for coming here." One of the guards demanded, startling the two men.

"W-we would l-like to talk to the boss and give him the results of our m-mission." stuttered the man with the goatee while the other nodded quickly.

The guards shared a look before one of them took out a walkie talkie and pressing a button while the others took the bags from the two grunts and searching it for any dangerous items.

"Boss, there are two grunts that have some results to share with you from their mission."

There was a static sound which was followed with silence, which lasted a while, causing the two grunts sweat beads on their faces and feel awkward. The quietude was broken by a familiar sound coming from the talking device, which was a voice that stated to let them through. The guard obliged, turning and entering a combination which made the doors open.

"Go through." The guard said, opening the doors to let the two grunts pass.

The two men gulped before walking past the guards then entering the office which was dark. In the darkness, they could spot out four silhouettes, two on the left that are standing, one to the right that seems to have a hand on their hip but what irked them is the one in the middle that looks to be staring at them intensely as if it is looking into their souls.

Their fears were interrupted as the figure to the right said in a feminine voice with a dominating tone, "Well, we do not have all day. State your report and progress."

"U-Umm… We would like to s-say that the mission was a success. A-Also, we got a few extra loot with the mission." The grunt with the scar stuttered, trying his best to sound serious.

He and his partner dropped the bags, revealing the loot to the leaders. It consisted of various Pokemon, Pokeballs and medicine but something caught the eyes of the figure in the middle.

"Where did you find that gem?" the man calmly asked, keeping his professional demeanor, gesturing to a stone that seems to be shining in a somewhat rainbow hue.

"Oh, this. We found it on the ground. We decided to carry it with us to see if one of the professors or researchers here know what to do with it." The grunt with the goatee explained, taking up the peculiar mineral, rolling it in his palm.

"Ariana, take the gem to me." The man said, not breaking his glare on the item.

"Yes, Boss Giovanni." The woman silhouette, now known as Ariana, nodded and took the gem from the grunt and gave it to Giovanni. The man took the gem, inspecting the stone with a triumphant smirk and a glint in his eyes.

"My eyes are not deceiving me. This is indeed the gem. The powerful material that can unleash the true potential of Pokemon." He said, chuckling as he put down the mineral on his desk. Giovanni then glanced at the two grunts who were slightly fidgeting out of nervousness.

"Archer, prepare a suitable reward for these two for the wonderful accomplishment they have." The male with the shorter hair, known as Archer, nodded before escorting the two grunts out of the office. Ariana gave a questioningly glance at the leader who was gazing at the gem with a smile.

"Boss, if you don't mind me asking. What exactly is that stone?" Ariana asked, curious about the item. Giovanni looked at her, keeping the smirk on his face as he chuckled.

"Ariana, this…this is a Mega Stone."

In the town of Pallet, everything is peaceful and serene under the starry night sky as a family is outside laying in the grass and observing the beauty of the stars.

A woman with black hair and red eyes in a flora dress sighed as the wind gently blows through the hair on her face.

"The wind feels amazing tonight." She said, twitching due to the grass tickled her neck. The man beside her chuckled before hugging the lady and kissing her forehead, which made her snuggle closer to him.

"Dad, what is that star up there? It looks like a pot." a voice said belonging to a black haired boy with red eyes wearing a Pikachu shirt and Marill shorts.

"That is the constellation, Ursa Major." said the father as he patted his head.

"Red, what is that constellation?" he asked the boy as he pointed at another group of stars shaped like a bird.

"That's Cygnus, dad." The child, known as Red, answered with enthusiasm. His father smiled, ruffling Red black hair which cause the kid to laugh.

"That's my little scarlet." The mother said, hugging Red and giggled at their nerd fest of the stars.

'It is so peaceful.' She thought as she silently took a picture of the two.

'I wish it could stay like this forever' she wished as she reunited with her husband and son in a hug, continuing to gaze at the endless stars in the night.

It was a couple weeks after that the father, who is known as Jack, got a call from his job for an island expedition, needing his assistance for a few experiments on a certain discovery. Jack is a part time scientist and architect that is known for several of his discoveries and achievements.

"Honey, I have to go on an excavation trip in order to retrieve some form of plate." The man said to his wife, Helen while hugging her.

"I understand that, Jack. I just wished you could stay here longer before you went back." The mother said, hugging him then glancing the calendar.

"Just remember that couple weeks from now is Red's birthday. Just make sure that you can make it for his birthday, please." Helen said, looking into his eyes with a puppy dog look, which he tried to resist before sighing, reluctantly giving in.

"Stop making that face. I was gonna try to make it to his birthday anyway. I have an idea of a great birthday gift for him actually." Jack said, scratching the back of his head.

"Just give me time. I will make it to his birthday. I promise." He said confidently, kissing Helen passionately before letting go and about to head out of the house.

"I'm gonna miss your kisses and lasagna for a while." He smiled before turning around and heading out.

"Just be careful." Helen said sadly, waving to him as he went on his way. She stood by the doorway, watching him as he disappeared from view.

'I hope to God that nothing happens to him.' She thought before going inside the house.

At school, it was lunch time and Red was having lunch with his friends, Blue and Yellow in the cafeteria.

"I'm telling you, Yellow. Gyarados will beat Gengar any day of the week." Blue said defiantly, taking a bite of his salad.

"It is common sense that Gengar is weak to anything considered physical." He added, pointing his fork at Yellow, who is getting slightly annoyed.

"And I'm saying that depends on the situation. Gengar can know a lot of moves that can take down a Gyarados." She said annoyed, slamming her hands on the table. Red glanced between his two friends still arguing before continuing to eat his sandwich.

"Gyarados can use a lot of Dark-type moves which are super effective on Gengar."

"Gengar can also learn a lot of Electric-type moves that could blitz Gyarados."

"Gyarados hits harder!"

"Gengar is faster!"

"They are the best!' they both said in unison before glaring at each other with their teeth clenched. They then looked at Red, who was silently watching throughout the whole ordeal between the two friends.

"Red! What do you think?" they both said, staring at the black haired boy who sighed.

"I think...both can win if they are prepared enough." Red said meekly, hoping to ease the tension between Blue and Yellow while not wanting to face the rage of any of his friends.

'_I hoped that worked.' _He thought, closing his eyes and awaiting the worst case scenario. They looked at him before sighing, unsatisfied that they didn't get a tie breaker.

"Seriously?!" they both shouted in unison, glaring at Red. The boy shrunk in his seat while his friends yelled at him about their opinions for several minutes before they both calm down.

"We'll continue this, Yellow. Grandpa can prove which one of us is right." Blue glared at the blonde girl, who just rolled her eyes, much to the relief of Red.

"So, Red. Heard your dad had to go on another work trip again." Yellow said, turning to raven haired with her head in her hands.

"Yeah. What is it this time?" asked Blue, folding his arms.

"I actually don't know. They didn't tell dad much about the job." Red stated to the two of them.

"Must be a super-secret job." Yellow said excitedly.

"Big deal. Did he get any new Pokemon, Red?" Blue said, changing the topic. The raven haired boy beamed at the question, almost as if he was expecting it.

"Yeah! He had an Excadrill, Aggron and a Lucario! It was awesome!"

The three friends continued with their conversation until the lunch bell rang. The rest of the time at school went by like a breeze as it is the end of school and students were shuffling through the halls to go home.

Once Red got home, he hugged his mother and helped her with the preparing the food.

"How was school, my little scarlet?" his mother asked while stirring the soup.

"It was good. Although, I wish it could've started later so I could wish dad good luck on his journey." Red said, taking out the dishes from the cupboard. He laughed nervously, almost losing his balance while he was placing them down on the counter.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I'll make you talk to him tomorrow, ok?" his mother said to him, causing him to smile wider.

"Thanks, mom." Red and his mother the table set up for dinner. They continued the rest of the evening talking about school and other current affairs until it was bed time and the raven haired boy had to go to sleep.

A few weeks later, it was Red's 9th birthday and his mother and everyone was getting ready for the party. Red's father called saying that he will soon be finished with his work and on his way to Pallet Town for his son's birthday. The red eyed boy was eagerly expecting his father, looking out to see any signs of his father's Pokemon or the company's vehicle. The party commenced and Red was enjoyed it so far. The boy was receiving gifts from everyone, eating cake and dancing with his friends and family. Even amongst the commotion, Red still looked out, searching for any sign of his tardy father. His mother noticed this and put her hands together, hoping the boy's father will be able to reach on time. As the boy glanced through the individuals at his party, he saw his friends and immediately went over to them.

"You enjoying the party, birthday boy? Seeing as the popular person of Pallet Town has graced your presence." Blue said smugly. Yellow rolled her eyes at her friend's pompous attitude.

"Yeah. This has been awesome. I'm having a fun time." Red said, offering them slices of the cake as they sat down.

"I'm glad you're having fun, Red. Seems your dad is gonna miss the party." Yellow said, taking a bite out of her slice.

"Thanks. I'm still gonna wait for him though. Besides I know that soon, I'll be able to go on those trips with him and see what he does." Red said in excitement. Blue and Yellow smiled, witnessing the sparkles of hope in their friend's eyes as he enjoyed the party.

"What is going on? Where did this storm come from?" said the driver who is driving through the road as showers of water pelted the front windshield of his jeep.

"Jack, I think we should rest at Pewter City before we continue on the road." Another man, who had on glasses and blue hair, said, glancing outside the vehicle window at the area being pelted by the intermittent rain. Jack didn't listen, keeping his eyes on the road and driving through the routes with one goal in mind: to reach his son's birthday party before it's too late.

"I gotta get to Red, Clark. I gotta be there for his birthday party and give him his present." The man said, breaking his gaze on the road to glance at the decorated box on the backseat.

"Red is a patient kid. The amount of patience that kid has would be enough to raise a Magikarp to evolution. He would rather you return safe than some present, Jack. You know that." The worker, who is known as Clark, said to Jack, who put his hand through his dark brown hair and chuckled.

"I know but if it is at least once."

"Tell that to the weather, not me. Helen will understand and so will Red."

'_That's exactly why I want to give him this present, Clarke.' _The man thought as he continued driving past Pewter City, on his way to Route 2. The ride was silent for half an hour, the only form of sound being the beating of the rain on the windshield. As they reached Viridian City, a bolt of lightning collided with the vehicle, making it explode. The shockwave of the explosion knocking the two men out of the car and unto the bushes, leaving them burned and injured.

"What the-" the brown haired man said, before he got electrocuted. He looked at his left to see a cloaked figure with an Electivire by his side.

"I never expected for you to be alive after that. There was more to you guys than what meets the eye." The figure coming out of the darkness said with a distorted voice, making his way to Jack with his Pokemon beside him. The figure crouched, getting at eye level with the injured men.

"Where is the plate, Jack Fires?" the individual questioned, lifting the architect's chin from the ground with his gloved hand. Jack found himself staring at absolute darkness as he couldn't see a face under the cloak.

"I didn't carry any dinner plates with me if you're so hungry." The man said, earning a punch to the face by the figure, sending him on his back as he felt blood coming from his nose.

"Stop joking around, Fires. Tell me where it is." The figure said, in a more annoyed tone this time. Jack looked around to see Clark limping quietly, silently releasing a Pokemon couple feet away from him that is ready to fight. The brown haired man then checked his surrounding, seeing that he had a stray Ultra ball behind him, before looking at the cloaked figure and chuckling again.

"I told you. We have no plates, where paper or foam. You can go to Viridian and get some by the diner."

"Don't play dumb with me, Fires."

"I'm being serious, sir?"

"Yes. I'm a male but enough of that. The plate, Jack."

"I'm telling you I have no such thing."

The figure growled under his breath before snapping his fingers, making the Electivire went forward, crackling with electricity. Before it could attack Jack, a blast water collided with the electric Pokemon, sending it flying across the route and surprising the cloaked figure. In the midst of the confusion, Jack got the Ultra ball and send out a Rhyperior.

"Rhyperior, Hammer Arm!"

The Ground-type Pokemon hit the ground, causing rocks to shoot out in the cloaked person direction. The anonymous person barely sidestepped out of the way, dodging a few rocks but was hit by the last rock, which scratched. He flinched, feeling a wound that is on their arm as blood started to ooze out. Jack stood up and faced the mysterious individual, his brown eyes glaring daggers at the mystery man. The cloaked figure snapped their fingers, making the Electivire deliver a Cross Chop on the Rhyperior making it stumble forward.

"Seismitoad, use Drain Punch." Clark commanded, slightly staggering as he tried to get his balance.

A frog Pokemon appeared right before Electivire, hitting the Pokemon with a Drain Punch. The force of the attack knocked Electivire unconscious, sending the Electric-type near its trainer, who clicked his tongue as he returned his Electivire.

"You leave me no choice, Jack. All you could've done was just tell me the whereabouts of the plate but now I will show no mercy." The trainer said, aggravated that the two workers are giving him so much difficulty.

"Sorry but we don't know anything about a plate" Clark lied, catching on to Jack's façade and walking up to his partner. The figure raised his hand, showing a blue colored ball, a Great ball. It opened releasing a Shiftry that was grinning with a crazed look in his eyes.

'Oh no.' the men thought, sharing a look with each other, trying to think of a way to attack and escape. The cloaked figure saw this and gave the Shiftry a command before they could react.

"Hurricane! Then Leaf Storm!"

The grass Pokemon quickly flapped its arms enveloping the men and their Pokemon and trapping them in a cyclone. As they were stuck in the massive tornado, the Grass Pokemon then let out a storm of leaves to pelt its targets, injuring the two workers. The men fell down, covered in bruises from the attacks coming from their cloaked assailant. The figure walked to them then stomped his foot on Jack chest, resulting in the man coughing up blood. Clark tried to move his arms but to no success as his body can barely gather the strength to do so.

'Damn it.' He cursed mentally as he had to watch the mysterious trainer kicking his partner mercilessly.

"Where is it, Jack Fires? I know you found it. One of the plates of creation." The person said, taking a pause from the brutal beatdown of the worker. Clark's eyes widen in realization while Jack started to chuckle, much to the surprise of the cloaked figure.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings and also, don't underestimate your opponents." Jack said, laughing.

"Wha-"

"Rhyperior! Use Rock Wrecker, now!

Before the figure could react, various stones were hurtled in his direction, hitting both him and his Pokemon and knocking them back. Jack called back Rhyperior to its capsule before quickly taking out another one from his pocket, which released an Arcanine.

"We need to go, Arcanine. Take up the suitcase and box and blow up everything else with Fire Blast. Clark! Return Seismitoad now!" the man commanded his Pokemon, which gave him a nod before destroying the documents with its attack. Clark returned his Pokemon before both men mounted the Fire-type, which quickly sped down the road. When the cloaked figure came to, he saw that his Pokemon had been unconscious along with a huge fire that burned where the jeep and documents were. He stood up and clenched his fists, mumbling angrily as he recalled his Shiftry and looked up to the sky.

"Curse you, Jack Fires!"

"You think…it's a good idea to have a Fire-type in the middle of the rain, Jack." Clark said, holding his dislocated shoulder.

"You have…a better idea…or…a faster…Pokemon?" Jack said, breathing heavily as he looked at his co-worker.

"…no…"

"…Thought so. Onwards, Arcanine. Extremespeed."

The Pokemon picked up speed as it dashed down the road through the rain, trying to gain any form of distance possible from the enemy. Clark grunted from the immense pain that coursed around his shoulder and his back and Jack, barely conscious, tried his best to focus on the path.

"Clark….hang on…..almost there…" the nearly unconscious man barely mouthed as his eyes were getting heavier. Clark slowly nodded, eyes shut and teeth clenched as he endured the pain. Suddenly, a blue beam of energy collided with them, knocking them unto the street. The two men could barely get up as the mystery man sped their direction riding on a Salamence towards them. Jack thought quickly, looking at his Arcanine as it got up in a battle stance.

"Ok. Good. Arcanine, use Extreme-AHH!"

Before he could finish his command, the Dragon Pokemon slashed him with its wings as it sped past him. Jack coughed up blood as he looked at the wound that went across his chest. He then looked up and glared at the cloaked figure, who was chuckling darkly.

"You could've just told me the location, Jack. And I would've went my way." The figure said, laughing while adjusting his hood.

"But no. You had to play hero. Do you even know what those things are capable of, Fires?!"

Jack didn't say anything, instead playing mute as he tried his best to catch his breath. Clark went to retrieve a Pokeball before the figure snapped his finger and the Salamence shot a blast in his direction, making him drop the capsule.

"No more distractions, Clark! One of you is gonna spill the whereabouts of the plate whether you want to or not."

Jack and Clark remained silent, which aggravated the cloaked figure as he snapped his fingers and the Salamence and it opened its mouth and charged another blue energy attack. The two workers shared a look before turning to the figure.

"Arcanine, Extremespeed!" Jack commanded. The Pokemon disappeared in a flash before tackling the Salamence at its side. The figure stumbled, trying to keep his balance on the Dragon before snapping his fingers again and pointing at Jack. Salamence shot the attack at Jack who whistled for Arcanine to come to him, which the Pokemon did and moved him out of the way of the attack. The figure was about to command Salamence to attack again but was interrupted by an attack that hit him from behind. The hooded man turned to see Clark, with a Seismitoad beside him. Clenching his fists, the cloaked figure then put his hands in his pockets as the Dragon Pokemon started to ascend above the trees and stopped. Jack and Clark exchanged looks of confusion before glaring at the cloaked figure once more.

"Jack, Clark. All you have to do is provide me with the information and I'll leave you two alone." The cloaked figure stated calmly, looking at the two men, who both kept silent.

"Tell me or else."

"…"

"It's sad, really. But you leave me no choice. Salamence."

Jack's eyes widen realizing the stance that his Pokemon was taking all too well, he then commanded Arcanine to take him to Clark as fast as it could. Clark was confused at the behavior of his coworker, and was about to command Seismitoad to attack before the brown haired man took his capsule and recalled the Pokemon before grabbing and make a run for it but it was too late.

"What are you doing, Jack?" Clark questioned, trying to position himself as the discomfort of his shoulder started to channel through his body. Before Jack could say anything, two words from the cloaked figure had the two men sweating in fear.

"Draco Meteor."

Salamence was enveloped in a purple light and roared loudly towards the sky, which caused everyone to cover their ears at the sound and also stopped Arcanine in its tracks. After it stopped roaring, the two men let go of their ears before looking up and seeing various rocks coming in their direction.

"Oh no." Jack mumbled, before commanding Arcanine to flee from the area but it was too late. The meteors rained down, causing destruction throughout the area. The cloaked figure laughed heartily, witnessing the results of the attack. The aftermath of the attack left several craters along with a burned forest along with three figures on the road, who were heavily injured. Clark looked at Jack, whose eyes were half shut, coughing up blood and unable to move. He tried to talk but nothing came out of his mouth.

'I won't be able to make it to birthday.' Jack thought, tears started to form in his eyes.

As the figure was about to command another attack, sirens started to fill the air. As both men consciousness started to fade, the last thing they saw was the cloaked figure fleeing and the police chasing after them.

Jack opened his eyes to see white, he then realized that he was in a hospital room. He glanced around, seeing various equipment and bed before turning to his right. His eyes widen as he saw Clark who was covered in bandages who had a goofy grin on his face.

"You look like a mummy." Clark laughed.

"Well, you don't look much better yourself." Jack retorted before looking around. "Where are we?"

"At the Viridian Hospital. We got rescued by the police and was sent here."

"The police, huh?"

"Yeah. They tried to catch that cloaked guy but got nothing. Somehow, he escaped without a trace."

"I still can believe we survive that ordeal."

"I can't believe that thing we found the other day was that important. I thought it was just another rock." Clark said, looking up to the ceiling. Jack looked at the man before staring at it as well. The room was quiet for a while until a few footsteps entering broke the silence. The two men look to see their family and friends by the doorway who rushed to them.

"Sorry I'm late for the party." Jack said, smiling at Helen. His wife smirked before kissing him in front of Red.

"You should be glad you're in a hospital. I'll give you the verdict when you're released." Helen said, the smirk not leaving which made Jack inwardly gulped.

"I hope it's not bad this time."

"Only time will tell, sweetheart." His wife said, kissing him on the cheek.

"Dad…"

The two parents look to see Red looking down, twiddling his fingers and fidgeting nervously. Helen giggled at the sight while Jack smiled at the boy.

"Hey there, champ! Sorry I miss-"

"Are you ok, Dad?" Red interrupted. His father looked at his son in surprise as he saw that his eyes were filled with worry. This made the smile as he reached out to the boy and ruffled his black hair.

"I'm alright, Red." Jack said, before looking around for something. He found the suitcase, opening it and searching for something. This took a while as Red and Helen exchanged looks of confusion before watching him shuffle through the case.

"I found it! Here you go, Red. Happy Birthday." Jack said, giving the boy a small decorated box. The boy looked at it before glancing at his father who was smiling.

"Open it." Jack said, putting his hand within Helen's and gave it a squeeze. Red raised a brow before opening the box, which revealed a shard-like necklace. Red looked at the item in awe before looking at his father.

"What is this?" Red asked, lifting the necklace and looking at the gem at the end of it, it had a silver glow and it was shaped like a pearl.

"That, Red, is a special gem with magical properties. Think of it like a good luck charm when you get to go on your journey." Jack explained while taking the necklace and putting it around his son's neck. The boy looked at it, before turning to his father and smiling.

"Thanks, dad." Red said happily before hugging his father who returned the hug. Helen giggled uncontrollably before joining in the group hug before separating.

"Well, now I gotta wait. Huh?" Jack said, leaning on his pillow and looking at the ceiling. His wife giggled while his son smiled.

"Come on, dad. It won't be long." Red said, not losing the smile on his face. Helen kissed Jack on his cheek before whispering to his ear.

"I'll give a reward if you behave yourself like a good boy." She whispered, gaining a blush from her husband. She laughed as she saw him fidgeting while Red looked confused at the display that was going on before him and Clark was giving him a knowing smirk.

"Well, it all worked out." Clark said, flexing one of his arms.

"Yeah…" Jack said, his expression hardened before feeling a tug on his sleeve, seeing his son holding onto him.

"What is it, Red?"

"Get well soon."

"Tha-"

Before he could finish, Jack felt immense pain going to his heart as he started clutching his chest and breathing heavily. He looked over to Clark seeing the same thing happening to him.

"What…is going…on?" He barely worded, feeling the pain intensify in his chest. The doctors and nurses rushed to the two men, trying their best to rectify the situation.

'It couldn't be.' Jack thought, trying to scan the room. Red stood frozen, speechless and not knowing how to react as he saw the doctors frantically looking for a solution, his mother crying as she held her hands to her mouth and his father in absolute pain. The boy then started to feel a terrible presence coming from outside before looking out the window to see a silhouette in the darkness. He then heard a voice.

'_Die, die, die!'_

"Honey, try to hang on! Please…" Helen pleaded in desperation. Jack slowly opened his eyes, checking the room until his eyes lay on the people in the room.

"Helen…where…" Helen kissed him, lying him down on the bed. Despite his wife's plea, Jack turned his gaze to his son, immediately saddened by the sight. Red was frozen like a statue with a frightened and frightened look etched to his face.

"R-red…" the man said, making the boy jump. Red then grabbed one of his father's Pokeball and sprinted out the hospital, much to the surprise of his parents, to the direction of the voice, which lead him towards the forest. As he dashed towards the forest, he saw a Banette covered with a purple glow with a person behind it. Red then took up a couple of sticks and threw them in the opposite direction which caught the person's attention as he looked for the source of the sound. The boy readied and opened the capsule, which released a white light.

'Please be a Dark-type. Please be a Dark-type. Please be a Dark-type.' Red hoped as it shaped to form Excadrill, the Subterrene Pokemon. It looked at the boy before hugging him, who returned it. 'It's Terra.'

'It's not a Dark-type but it is much better.' Red smiled then facing the Ghost-type.

"Alright, Terra. Use Swords Dance." Red whispered as the Pokemon started to quickly sharpening its claws and stood in a battle position. He then pointed at the Banette, who was glowing in the dark.

"Hit it with a Shadow Claw." Red said confidently.

Terra's claws lit with a menacing glow as he dashed and swiped the Banette, who cried in pain before fainting. Red silently celebrated before he heard clapping from the distance, seeing the hooded figure walking up to him.

"Impressive. Especially for your age." The man said, recalling the Pokemon into the capsule as he walked off. Red glared at the man who started to laugh hysterically then turn to Red.

"The damage has been done, kid. I've got all the information I needed. Hope you enjoy your last moments with him."

"What are you talking about?"

"You will know soon, child. You will know." He said before turning around and disappearing into the darkness of the forest. Red then called back Terra and sprinted towards the hospital. He quickly entered the room to see his father on the bed, his breathing calming down as he rested comfortably.

"What happened…" He said breathlessly. Red smiled, hugging his father and placing Terra's Pokeball in his suitcase. The doctors ran various tests with Jack and Clark, which resulted in the two of them being healthy.

'It's over.' Red thought, sighing but something remained in the back of his brain.

_'The damage is already done.'_

_'Hope you enjoy your last moments with him.'_

Red started to brainstorm before a word came to his thoughts that made him start to sweat profusely.

"Doctor! Check them again! They might have a-"

Screams filled the rooms as the two men clutched their chests and heaved. The doctors rushed to the two patients, trying their best to save him but are failing.

"They are suffering from a Curse." Red muttered, fear frozen him solid and he stood in one place. One of the doctors heard him and then made treatments that aids with curses. Red's mind drove out all the sound as he looked at his father, slowly dying and clutching his heart. Clark's screamed to the top of his lungs as he dropped off the bed and punching the floor, causing his knuckles to bruise and bleed.

From faraway in the forest, the hooded figure listened to the cries and shouts of agony coming from the hospital. He silently chuckled as the cries became louder, leaning against the tree as he folded his arms.

"Did you get the info?" he asked, turning to look at the bushes. Out of them came another cloaked figure who looked at him and nodded.

"Indeed. Medicham read his mind perfectly." She said, a Medicham coming out the grass beside her. The hooded figure then looked at the hospital before turning to leave.

"Come. Our job is done. Their death is inevitable."

"What about the kid?"

"He's not gonna live long enough for us to meet again."

"And if he does."

"It's his funeral."

He said as they both disappeared into the darkness.

At the Viridian Hospital, a long beeping sound filled the air as family and friends looked helplessly at the two lifeless bodies in the room. Helen cried loudly, hugging her son who just stood with a hurtful look on his face. The men known as Jack Fires and Clark Nelson lay motionless on their beds, the curse taking their lives. Red's father was dead and there was nothing he could do to stop it. All he could do was helplessly watch and cry. It was a nightmare of a night that will haunt Red for years to come.

**A/N: I hope you guys like the prologue, sorry about the length. I'll appreciate your criticisms and reviews. Thanks again, guys.**


	2. Chapter 1: An Unfortunate Beginning

Years have passed since that dreadful day that took Red's father from the living realm. Things have changed drastically. Helen tried to cope with the pain for her son's sake but it was too unbearable for the heartbroken woman. For the first few years, she was devastated, sulking frequently and occasionally gazing off into space. Due to her state of mind, she had to receive therapy which lasted for years before there was any significant improvements to her attitude. Helen still misses her husband but she knows that she has to deal with the fact that he is gone which slightly helped her mood a little.

The same could not be said for Red. For the first couple years, the young boy has shown signs of coping and dealing with the pain of loss and started going back to his old self. However, one day the young juvenile personality mysteriously changed. Red had stopped talking. He became withdrawn and emotionless, almost as if he lost the will to live. At first, the boy would simply attempt ways to commit suicide which were all prevented by the town's Pokemon and some of his friends. He then gave up, deciding on walking around aimlessly as if he is a zombie. The pier would become one of his favorite spots where he spends hours upon hours by the sea, taking care of the Pokemon that appear on the shore bruised and injured. It then became a pastime for him to soothe his nerves and allowing him to make friends with some of the fisherman, which brought a smile to the teen's face. However, it was all short lived as one accident changed everything which made everyone looked at the red-eyed teenager differently. After that, Red was bullied and ostracized by the people which made him spend more time at the pier which was his only place of solace.

Years come by and it is the day that Red is going to receive his Pokemon and make his first step as a trainer. The building were each being slowly marinated by the sun that is peeking from the horizon, alerting people to get up and start their daily activities. One of these people is Blue, the grandson of the renowned and prestigious Professor Samuel Oak and one of the prestigious achievers of Viridian High school. He woke up before his alarm went off, turning it off and getting out of bed to get himself ready for the most important day in his life.

'Today is the day I weave the tale of my origins.' Blue smugly thought, fixing his bed. Dressing himself in a long sleeved purple shirt and dark grey pants along with brown boots, Blue exited the bathroom after fixing up his brown hair. Within minutes, he finished getting ready and going downstairs to see his sister, Daisy who was in the kitchen. She heard the sound from the stairs and smiled at her brother.

"Good morning, Blue. Your breakfast is on the table." She said before turning to clean the cupboard. Blue made his way to the kitchen table, seeing his breakfast which was bacon, eggs and toast. He looked around the living room and the house before going to the table.

"Sup. Gramps left already?" he asked, taking his seat and eating his toast. Daisy nodded as she was humming a tune and she started cleaning wiping the counters. The brunette continued to eat his food before looking at the clock.

'Crap! It's 7:30. I gotta hurry.' He thought, frantically gorging down his food and putting his dishes before sprinting towards the door.

"Blue!" The brunette called, making the spiky haired boy stagnant by the doorframe then looking at his sister with an annoyed and anxious look. She walked to him, hugged him and kiss him on the forehead before telling him, "Be careful out there, little bro. And remember that I always love you."

"I don't need your worry. I'm gonna be the best trainer ever. Just wait and see." Blue scoffed but returned the hug nevertheless before dashing down the street and waving at his sister. It didn't take him long before reaching the huge brick building which was the Pokemon lab. He pushed through the doors and rushed in to see all the aides doing their work, some greeting him. As he made his way to his grandfather office, he saw that there was a blonde girl standing in front of the door, wearing a long sleeved black shirt under a yellow tunic dress along with blue tights and purple boots. After coming closer to the office and the individual, he realized who it is and groaned, annoyed that he wasn't the first one to get to the office.

"Yo, Yellow! Is Gramps here?" He asked, putting his hands at the back of his head.

"No. I haven't seen him since I came here." Yellow answered, her hands behind her back, twiddling her fingers.

"Damn it, Gramps! Where did he go now?" Blue mumbled in frustration before taking a seat and resorting to waiting.

Minutes felt like hours for the two teens who were in a deep conversation until Professor Oak came through the wooden doors of the Pokemon lab, catching their attention. He waved and greeted some of the aides before making it to his office where he spot Blue and Yellow.

"Finally! What took you so long?" Blue said, getting out of his chair and stretching his arms. The grey haired glared at his grandson then cleared his throat and started, "Good morning, young ones."

"Good morning, Professor Oak."

"Gramps! Let's get this started."

Professor Oak glared at his grandson, slapping the back of his head, which earned a groan from Blue and a giggle from Yellow.

"As I was saying before I was **rudely** interrupted. As you both know, I am Professor Oak, a scien-"

"Gramps, we get it. You're important. We're going on a journey. Can we get our starter Pokemon now?" The spikey haired boy interrupted, impatiently tapping his foot on the floors of the lab. Professor Oak raised his fist which made the boy flinch and guard his head. He sighed at the boy's rudeness and impatience before going into his drawer and taking out three Pokeballs and placing it on the table.

"Within these Pokeballs are your future partner that will help you throughout your journey. Choose wisely between the three of them." The professor explained, pressing the button and releasing the Pokemon which are Bulbasaur, a green turtle with a bulb on its back, Charmander, an orange lizard with a fire at the end of its tail, and Squirtle, a blue turtle with a shell on its back.

"Now, which one of you would like to go first?" He asked, glancing at the two teenagers. Blue advanced forward until he was stopped by Yellow who had her hands on her hips, intensely glaring at him.

"What are you doing, Oak?"

"What? I'm gonna go choose my Pokemon."

"You ever heard of 'ladies first'?"

"Who said you were a lady?"

"That is no way to speak to a lady."

"But I am the grandson of the professor."

"I came here first today."

"But-"

The two's bickering were interrupted by Professor Oak loudly clearing his throat. He then glanced at both of them before pointing at Yellow to be the first to pick, which caused the blonde to smirk smugly at Blue, whose eyes were as wide as saucers.

"What?! Why, Gramps?!" the brunette yelled, flailing his arms.

"She has a point, you know. Two points. Ladies first and she arrived here first. Sorry, Blue. You'll have to wait." Professor Oak explained to Blue, which earned a giggle from Yellow. Blue just crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance.

"Let's see… What do I choose?" The blonde wondered, glancing at the three starters at the desk. Her eyes gleamed as she picked up Bulbasaur, who happily nuzzled her cheek. She smiled, taking its Pokeball and put the Grass type on the floor.

"So you choose Bulbasaur? A good choice!" The professor said to Yellow, who nodded and started petting her Pokemon.

"Alright, Blue. It's you-"

Professor Oak stopped, seeing that Blue was nowhere to be found, he then looked around and was surprised to see Blue squatting and fist bumping Charmander with a smirk on his face. The professor face palmed and was about to scold but decided against it as it would be fruitless. The grey haired man rummaged through his computer desk and pulled two devices and handed them to the two teenagers.

"These are the Pokedex, an encyclopedia that allows you to obtain information on Pokemon. It will be a useful guide along your journey. Also, here are some Pokeballs that can help you on your journey." The professor explained, as he gave them each a case with five Pokeballs in it.

"Thanks, Professor!" Yellow happily said, turning to see Blue already out the door. The blonde blinked in surprise and Professor Oak sighed, "Man, that kid is so impatient. If only he would learn to calm down. Anyways, Yellow, have you seen Red? Wasn't he supposed to be with you two?"

The blonde tensed at the mention of the name. They have become slightly distant after the death of Red's father and the little incident that caused Red's tribute to silence didn't make it any better. Yellow tried her best to rekindle the relationship but with Blue becoming popular, it was very difficult. Afterwards, a terrible incident happened that cause the blonde to have no forgiveness for the red eyed boy. Their friendship was broken as she never associated herself with Red ever since.

'I will never forgive him.' She thought angrily as she clenched her fists. She then exhaled to calm herself before looking at Professor Oak.

"No, Professor Oak. I haven't seen him at all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"If you meet up with him. Tell him to come and get his starter."

"…I'll try." Yellow said without emotion, before walking through the front doors of the lab. Professor Oak looked at them and then sighed and look at Squirtle, who was sleeping on the table.

"So many things have changed for the worst since Jack's death, that boy will never be the same again. Then there were those series of events. Oh boy. This journey could either be a way for the boy to find solace or get his revenge." The man rubbed the turtle Pokemon's head before putting it back in its ball.

"I hope it's not the latter." He concluded before going in his office to resume his work.

Everything was pitch black. Nothing could shed a drop of light into the dark room. Within this realm of shadows, stood a human who was frantically searching for an exit. He called. He shouted. He yelled. However, there was no answer. His dark red eyes was the only form of light that was in the void, albeit a little. He continued venturing, looking for any form of exit but to no avail. He then heard a voice.

'_It's your fault.'_

The voice came again but was louder this time.

_'__It's your fault.'_

Before he knew it, voices started talking and yelling at him at different frequencies.

_'__Get away, demon.'_

_'__Why must you be such a monster?'_

_'__Those eyes should've been the first sign.'_

_'__Damned creature.'_

The voices got louder until they enveloped the area. The boy held his ears, trying his best to block any form of sound that reached him but it was a futile effort. The sounds still remained, the voices still insulted and ridiculed him and he was fighting back tears.

_'__Why did I have to give birth to you?'_

The teen didn't realize he was crying until he felt teardrops tracing down his cheeks. He dropped to the ground, slowly curling himself into a ball and cried. Silent sobs were heard as the voices that haunt him got louder. Until one voice said something that broke him completely.

_'__Why couldn't it have been you that died?'_

Red woke up in a cold sweat, heaving and his heart racing before he tried his best to catch his breath. He got out of bed, wiping the tears off his face and stretched his arms, immediately exercising. When he finished, he glanced into the mirror at his disheveled look due of that nightmare.

'No. I need to remember that today is a big day. I finally get to do it.' He thought as he shook his head and went to take his shower. Within minutes, he was ready, wearing a red open jacket, a black undershirt, blue jeans and red and white sneakers. He then took up his red and white hat and placed it on his head, and donning two black wristbands before throwing his bag over his shoulder. As he exited the room, he took one last look at it, he traced everything: the Snorlax plushie his mother got him, his Wii console and various other childhood items. He then looked at his necklace in his pocket that he was given at his 9th birthday by his father, rubbing his thumb over the gem. He then placed it around his neck and hid it in his undershirt before giving the room one more look over.

'This might be the last time I see this room.' Red thought, having a sad expression on his face.

The teen then closed his bedroom door slowly before making it to the stairs. He walked down the steps, seeing his mom by the table when he reached halfway. She was looking at pictures of his father and her that seems to have been taken before Red's birth. Red continued down the steps as he made his way past the kitchen, seeing that no breakfast was made for him, which earned a tired sigh from the black haired teen. He went up to his mother, who was not aware of his presence, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"All kids have to go out on a journey sometimes. It said so on TV." She said, shrugging his hand off and not turning around to look at him. Red was not entirely surprised but he backed away, he expecting this action from his mother. For the last few years, she wanted to get rid of him by any means necessary and now was that chance. He sighed once more, regaining his composure and was about to say something before she interrupted him again.

"Make sure you pack your things. Go on. You don't want to be late, do you?"

"…"

"You don't want to be later than you already are, right?!"

"…!"

"Get…out."

"…M-"

"GET OUT!"

Red sighed in defeat, making his way to the door before turning around one last time to look at his mother, who still hasn't moved from her spot or look at him once since he arrived. The teen took out a pen and paper, writing a note before placing it on the table and then walked out the front door, making his way to the lab. After the door was closed, the woman clumsily made her way to the kitchen before spotting the note. She opened it and started reading.

_Dear Mom,_

_I am sorry for causing you so much pain, especially after Dad died. I hope you will be happy knowing that I won't be here anymore. I just want you to know that I will always love you, Mom. No matter how much you hate me. _

_Red._

The lady uncaringly rip the note to shreds before throwing it in the trash can. After she did that, she went on to clean the kitchen.

As Red was making his way to the lab, he wondered about which starter that he will get. He never got a chance to think about it before, distracted by the drama in his life. Glancing at his watch, his eyes widened as he saw the time.

'Damn it! I'm late.' He thought before sprinting towards the brick building. Within less than a minute, he pushed open the wooden and briskly went to the Professor's office, earning a few glares from the aides on his way there. The red capped teen entered the office to find the man he is looking for, reading a bunch of papers behind his desks. Red loudly cleared his throat to get the elder man's attention, which succeeded. Professor Oak looked up from his papers and smiled, making his way to Red, who tipped his hat as a greeting. As the teen started feeling anxiety and excitement through every muscle in his body, he failed to see the somber look in the elderly man eyes and his slightly saddened expression.

"Red, my boy. Good to see you." The man came up and shook the teen's hand.

"I'm guessing you're here for a Pokemon to go on a journey with, huh?" Professor Oak asked while frowning, which Red nodded as a response. The elder man sighed which made Red raise an eyebrow.

'What happened?' the boy thought as he tilted his head. He then realized Professor Oak had his hands on his shoulder, closing his eyes in concentration. After a moment of thinking, the grey haired man opened his mouth, "Red, I apologize but we are out of starter Pokemon that we can give to trainers." However, Red was hardly unfazed by this, just give him a Pokeball and he can get a partner in the wild. Problem solved. Professor Oak sighed again, taking his hands off the boy's shoulders, turned and went to ruffling his own grey hair before speaking to the red eyed teen again.

"I just made a slight blunder with the amount of trainers coming today. Before I realized it, we are out of starter Pokemon and the traditional Eevee we would give. We are also out of Pokeball and the Pokedex as well." The man stated, feeling guilt and self-disappointment as he studied the look that came across the teen's face. Red heart fell and he had a look of devastation etched to his face.

"It is until couple months after that we will be able to get a Pokedex and Pokeball and restock. I am sorry, Red but you're going to have to wait a few months afterwards before you can go on a journey." Oak explained however, Red blocked him out, barely able to process what is going on. He cannot go back home, his mother technically kicked him out and now he has nowhere to go. It's not like anyone in Pallet town would want to help him anyways, they only saw him as a monster and a menace.

Red sadly nodded before going out the wooden doors. As he stepped out, he realized that there was a downpour outside as if the weather resonated his emotions. He made his way through the rain, thinking over the course of events that happened throughout the day. He then started to replay the events in his life up to this point, thinking of an explanation to his misfortune. Sadly, nothing came up and he slumped against a wall. As he started to walk again, the red eyed boy suddenly remembered what the professor said, finally realizing the weight of the situation. As he wanders throughout the city in the strong downpour, one question invades his mind.

'Where am I going to go now?'

**A/N: Greetings everyone. Sorry for taking so long with the first chapter and I hope you guys will like it. Also, I am grateful for the people who made the reviews for my story. Thank you.**

**Jess Loves Austin: Thanks. Glad you think that.**

**the willyrex: Thanks for the advice. I am actually in the process of making one. Might take a while though also, thanks for the vote of confidence as well.**

**Alright, hope you guys enjoy. Enigma out.**


	3. Chapter 2: A Second Chance

Red treaded sadly through the rain, gazing down at the grey pavement that supposedly caught his interest. After finding out from Professor Oak that his journey was postponed to a later date, the red capped teen spent the last few hours walking aimlessly around Pallet town. The sounds from the rain overlapping the sounds of his footsteps on the concrete. After several minutes, Red found himself by the shore, gazing out the sea with a sorrowful expression on his face. He then sat down by the boats, continuing to stare towards the large body of water that was furiously going back and forth.

'I wonder what is at the other side of this ocean.' Red thought, continuing his gaze at the raging tides. His red jacket started flapping against the breeze as he realized that the winds are getting stronger and the droplets are coming down harder. He grasped onto his cap as he got up and quickly ventured for a place to take shelter from the brutal downpour. After a few minutes of searching throughout the city, Red continued to sprint towards the shore to seek refuge under a stray boat that was tipped over. For what seem like hours, the scarlet eyed boy shivered as he stayed under the boat, viewing the lightning that was tearing through the clouds. After a while, the rainfall started to slightly recede, much to Red's comfort and glee. However, the thunder roared as lightning still flashed throughout the sky at a frequent rate.

'That's strange. It's all focusing at one place.' Red thought, studying the bolts as they travelled through the sky several times, finding a pattern. The teen analyzed the clouds a few more times, seeing that his speculation was true, seeing the electricity travel to the other side of the shore. This caught Red's curiosity as he found himself walking towards the area that the lightning keeps striking. On his way, the scarlet eyed boy could spot a small hill that looks to be burnt. As he stepped closer, he realized that the bolts start colliding with the hill more and more, sounds of crying filled the air along with the roars of thunder. Hearing this made Red hike up the mountain with vigor and speed despite the rocks being wet and slippery.

As he reach the top of the hill, the red eyed boy saw a Pokemon, crying out in pain as it continuously gets struck by the lightning that descended from the sky. The Pokemon's red cheeks were glowing with electricity, its brown eyes filled with tears as it could barely lift itself off the ground and its heart shaped lightning bolt shaped tail on the floor. The red hatted boy looked at the scene with a sad expression before slowly and silently making his way to the mouse Pokemon. Its ears twitched slightly as it glanced at him, struggling to put itself in a fighting position as its cheek flared with electricity. Unfazed and eager to help, Red still continued towards Pikachu, only this time at a slower and gentler pace. This action made the Electric-type slightly lower its guard but it cheeks still glowed as lightning sparked from them. It never stopped studying Red as the raven haired boy slowly approach the Pikachu. He was about to touch the quivering mouse until a flash of lightning hit it, causing it to release an powerful electric shock that scorched and destroyed the area along with electrocuted Red as the blast send him down the hill. A few minutes later, Red slowly rose from the ground, his body twitching due to the powerful shock he was hit by earlier as he climb the hill again, seeing the aftermath of the electrical attack in awe as he reached the top.

'Woah. That was close. I could've died right there.' He thought as he searched his body for bruises. He then walked towards Pikachu who had fainted and was panting heavily. Instantly worried, Red took off his jacket and wrapped it around the Pikachu in order to keep it warm, he then picked it up and quickly carried it to the Pokemon Lab. As he arrived at the building, he slammed on the doors, receiving silence as his answer. The raven haired boy tried several times before giving up and walking towards the front of a store, using the shelter to shield himself from the rain. As he went in, he searched his bag for any medicine that can help the Pokemon, his mind set on helping it, even if it is a little. Red was able to fish out a Potion and a Revive from his bag and quickly but carefully gave them to the Pikachu. The rodent's expression lightened as it's beginning to felt better, wiggling its tail weakly and letting out a squeak.

"Pika Pi." It said in a shaky tone, barely able to lift its body. Red took a blanket out of his bag and laid it on the Pokemon and patted its head. Pikachu purred against his hand as it snuggled in the cloth and got comfortable and started to close its eyes.

'Go to sleep.' Red thought while rubbing behind its ear as it sighs in content.

'_Thank..you…'_ A voice rung through the black haired teen's head, surprising him.

'What was that?' Red thought, searching around frantically for the source of the unknown voice, which resulted in him finding nothing.

'Guess it was nothing.' The boy deduced before laying down on the sand and finally dosing off to sleep. For a few days, it continued to rain, causing Red to stay under the boat which was their safe haven from the intermittent downpour, taking care of Pikachu. As the time passes, the rodent started warming up to him because of his caring nature as it played with him and snuggled with him at nights. Red tried to take care of the Pokemon as best as he could, using some of his cleaner clothes as bandages for its bruises and turning his bag into a bed for it to sleep.

As the rain subsided and the sun starts to rise, Red woke up out of bed in a cold sweat, panting and panicking as he observed his surroundings. Just when he was about to get up, he noticed something curled up on his lap. Red then realized it was the Pikachu, it was breathing better now but he still had to get it healed as it still had bruises all over its body. Carefully taking up the Pokemon and putting it down, he got himself ready and prepared some food for the mouse Pokemon as he went to stretch his legs outside as he saw the sunrise.

'It's good to see the sun after three days of rainfall. I thought it would never stop.' Red thought as he walked along the shore. He then sat on the sand, thinking about the events that occurred the past few days and the state that he is in currently.

'A lot of things happened in just a few days. I have nowhere to go.' The teen started picking up stones and chucking them across the water as he sighed in exhaustion. He then looked into the town to the direction of his house with a frown. 'She's not gonna want me back. She basically kicked me out without having to tell me.' He glanced down towards the grains of sand on the beach.

'Well, that's out of the question. I guess I'll just try to get to Viridian without a Pokemon. If I walk carefully and avoid the wild Pokemon, I should be there in no time. In fact, I think I bought some Repels.' He convinced himself as he looked to the ocean, watching the calm waves going back and forth in a mesmerizing pattern. After couple minutes of being deep in thought, he glanced towards the direction of his boat before walking back to it.

'Now I need to think about getting Pikachu healed up. Hope Professor Oak's lab is open. Sad that Pallet Town doesn't have a Pokemon Center.' He thought, rubbing his chin as returned to the boat. When he reached and went under it, he suddenly felt some rubbing against his feet, glancing down to see Pikachu beside him.

"Chuuu." It happily squeaked, looking up at Red before resuming nuzzling against his foot. The scarlet eyed teen smiled as he carefully picked up the Pokemon and rubbed behind its ears. 'What did you go through? What did you face to give you injuries?' Red thought, slightly frowning as he glanced and felt at the injuries on its body, it was unsettling to say the least. He then took out a Potion, spraying them on the wounds when he took off the bandages off then putting new bandages on its body. He then put down the yellow rodent after ruffling its fur, much to its amusement and enjoyment.

Red then ate ramen for breakfast as Pikachu was playing with his hat and jacket, which earned a chuckle from Red when it was struggling to get out of the jacket. When he finished, he got himself ready and held Pikachu in his arms before going to the Pokemon lab. On his way to the place, Pikachu looked at the building and people with interest and curiosity in its eyes. As he reached the lab, the red hatted boy walked through the lab, making his way to one of the aides and showing her the injured Pokemon, gesturing silently for help. She had a worried until she looked at Red's face, to which she scoffed, about to ignore him until a voice came from a couple feet away, startling her.

"Marie! We can't turn an eye to an injured Pokemon." Professor Oak walked over, giving the female aide with a disapproving look before looking at Pikachu, who had multiple injuries on its body. "What happened to the Pikachu?" He asked Red, who responded with a shrug of his shoulders then gestured for help for the injured Pokemon.

Professor Oak then looked into the teen's scarlet eyes and saw compassion and worry in them, "Don't worry, Red. We'll fix her up in no time. Just take a seat and wait." He said to which Red nodded before taking the mouse Pokemon to the healing room with Marie, who had an annoyed look, behind him. After an hour of waiting, Red found himself frantically pacing around the hallway with his hat and bag on his seat.

'I hope she's ok. I hope I didn't make it worse with the medicine. If Pikachu's got worse because of me, I could never forgiv-' His thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder, turning to see Professor Oak, who had a smile on his face.

"It's ok, now. It just needs to rest a bit more." Professor Oak stated as he patted the teen shoulder, Red nodded, sitting down and glad that Pikachu is ok and let out a breath he didn't knew he held. The elderly man eyed the boy before his expression hardened, sitting down on one of the chairs looking intensely at the red capped teen.

"Where did you find the Pikachu?" Professor Oak asked Red, who pointed towards the beach at the hill, making the professor look towards the beach where a small hill is located. "You found it at the beach? By the hill." He asked, which got the scarlet eyed teen nodding as a response.

"What was it doing there?" He questioned once more, which got a shrug of the shoulders as a response.

"I see." The man rubbed his chin before looking at Red once more.

"When did you meet him?" Professor inquired, which got Red putting up three fingers. "Three days ago?" The professor inquired, which got another nod from Red.

"Professor Oak! We need your help a bit with this work!" An aide said from another room. Professor Oak nodded before looking at Red. "It will be ok, Red. Just wait a moment. Pikachu will be alright." He said, reassuring the red capped teen before leaving him in the silent hallway, waiting. After a few minutes of silence, the teen started thinking deeply for a while before he started shuffling in his bag for something.

After half an hour, Professor Oak and Marie came out of the room with Pikachu, happily squeaking in her arms.

"Red, Pikachu is all better now. I-" He stopped as he doesn't see Red in the hallway. Professor Oak started searching for the teen until he saw a note on the seat where the teen was sitting on. Curious and confused, the elderly man went to read the note, with Pikachu perching on his shoulder.

_Dear Professor Oak,_

_Thank you, Professor Oak for taking care of Pikachu. Once she healed, you can just send her in the wild, she will be happy to be with her family and friends. I am glad that she is ok now. You have no idea how grateful I am for what you've done for her and I will promise to make it up to you someday. Please, take care of Mom and look after her for me. She may hate me now but I will always love her. I guess this is goodbye. Possibly for now._

_-Red_

The man had a shocked expression on his face as he read the note before turning to Pikachu, who looked puzzled. Professor Oak sighed, running his hand through his grey hair and then smiling then rubbing Pikachu's ear, gaining a happy squeak from it.

"What's wrong, Professor?" Marie asked, curious to know what is on the note. The professor turned and looked at her with a smile on his wrinkled face as Pikachu jumped on the floor.

'They were wrong about you, young one.' He thought, smiling and he picked up Pikachu, who seems to be searching for something or someone.

"Marie, I need to search for a few things for me." The elderly man said, which made the Electric-type and the aide look at him confused. He then put Pikachu down on his desk, as he gestured Marie to assist him in searching around his office, which she did. He found a few gadgets which he gathered and placed into a small pouch. After he was finished with his search, he looked at Pikachu, who look worried and seemed to be looking for something. Professor Oak approached with a smile on his face, which got its attention before putting the pouch around its neck.

"Now since you're going to be here working with me, there are a few errands I want you to do. Is that ok, Pikachu?" Professor Oak said, ruffling its fur, earning a happy cry from the yellow rodent. Pikachu then locked eyes with the man, before nodding and squeaking in compliance. The professor smiled wider then motioned it closer to him as he took out a pen and wrote down something on a note. He put the note in the pouch and closed it before looking at Pikachu with a serious expression.

"Now. Your first errand!"

Red was at the outskirts of Pallet town and the entrance to Route 1, looking towards the road ahead that leads to Viridian City. As he gripped the strap of his bag tighter, he slowly made each stepped until he was on the border to the road ahead, feeling nervous as he started to wipe sweat his brow.

'Alright, Red. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.' He thought to himself, trying to assure himself while he made deep breaths to shake off his nervousness. After he got rid of his anxiety, he looked back to Pallet town, the place he has been all his life, looking at his house, his school and the shore and lab, memories flooding his mind as he looked at each place of his childhood.

'I'm gonna be alone, huh?' He looked down, kicking some sand. Red then released a shaky sigh before looking into the sky with a melancholic expression on his face.

'Well, it's no surprise. I have always been alone. It won't bother me as much.' He thought, chuckling to himself at his misfortune as he put his cap over his eyes. He took one more glance at his hometown, the gentle breeze going through his black hair despite his cap being on. After a moment of staring and reminiscing, the red hatted teen turned back to the road with new found courage, making step after step unto Route 1, until he heard a familiar voice.

"Pikachu!"

Red turned around on instinct, eyes widening as he saw a Pikachu running towards his direction. Thinking it was another Pikachu, he motioned to turn around until it tackled him, knocking the air out of him and made him fall to the ground. The teen sat up, seeing the mouse Pokemon hugging him, crying loudly and cuddling his stomach.

'W-what?' Red thought, wondering why the Electric type was right in front of him. He then put the Pokemon down, seeing a pouch around its neck with a note on it. Red picked up the pouch, seeing a note. He then put down pouch before taking the note and reading it.

_Dear Red,_

_I hope that you are doing well, my boy. I wrote this to tell you that Pikachu is all right, if you have not seen so yourself. She's an energetic and obedient one, but it doesn't seem like its going stay in the lab one bit and since you are going on a journey, I hope you can take care of her. I packed a few gadgets in the pouch to get your journey started. They may be a bit outdated but they can help you until you can find a suitable replacement or a person that can update them. Better than nothing, right? From how you acted today, I can see that the rumors were wrong about you. You are a good soul, Pikachu seems to think so as well. Your father would be proud of the kind young man you have grown up to be. I wish you good luck on your journey, Red Fires. And don't forget to have fun, my boy. I believe in you. Go and make your parents proud!_

_-Professor Oak_

Red eyes widened, not able to believe what he was reading. He then read the note multiple times, making sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. He rubbed his eyes and read the note again, thinking that there was something he misread. Each time he read the note, his hand started shaking, his breath started to get heavy as he had to sit down to process everything that just happened. Realizing that he was reading correctly, he then checked in the pouch, which had a Pokedex, a region map and a PC card license. Red looked in disbelief, tears started to weld in his eyes as he looked between the note and the items in front of him. Red had always thought that since that dreadful day, things will never be the same and he was right but what he never thought that someone in Pallet Town will help him ever again. Looking down at the items and Pikachu, he didn't realize that tears started falling from his cheeks. Pikachu looked at him in worry before starting to lick the tears off his face, causing Red to look at it.

"Pikachu…." He said, his voice choked with uncontrollable sobs, making the rodent looked into his eyes

"Are you…sure you want to come with me?" Red asked the Electric-type, waiting keenly on its answer. It continued locking eyes with the scarlet eyed teen then closed its eyes.

'I won't force you to go if you don't want to. You have been through enough already.' He thought, still looking at the Pokemon as it put its paw under its chin and wiggle its tail in thought.

"Pika!" The yellow mouse then nodded, surprising Red, before it jumped on his shoulder and started to nuzzle the boy's cheek. More tears exited Red's eyes as he silently broke down and sobbed on the road, thinking that everything is a dream. After several minutes of crying, Red wiped the tears off his face and got up, putting the gadgets he got from Professor Oak in his bag. As he started to breathe in the gentle breeze, he took one more look at Pallet town with a smile on his face, glad that he won't be alone on his journey. 'I'm not alone now.' He thought, making him grin wider.

"Are you ready, Pikachu?" Red asked the yellow mouse on his shoulder, who shouted in happiness. The boy smiled and pat its head and he took deep breaths.

"It seems that you two are gonna get along well. Good." Professor Oak said to himself, chuckling at the scene happening in front of him from his office window.

'Now your journey begins, boy. Make the best of it.' The man said, taking up a picture of himself when he was younger with his team along with his friends and family from his desk. He sighed happily before returning the wooden frame down.

"Nothing makes a week better than seeing the different reaction of the new generation as they make their first steps towards their dream." He said to himself, putting his hands in his pockets as he glanced out his window once more.

'Red Fires. A unique one, I have to say. I'm looking forward to see what the future holds for him.' Professor Oak thought, turning to resume his work.

Red finished mentally preparing himself before making his first step to Route 1, with Pikachu by his side.

'This is where my journey begins. Wait. No.' He looked at Pikachu with a smile, ruffling its fur before advancing.

"Now, our adventure begins."

**A/N: Hello again, readers. Enigma is here. This chapter was not actually supposed to take this long to be published but life decides to do life things. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. And thanks for the reviews and views. Enigma out.**


	4. Chapter 3: Chains of the Past Part I

The wind gently blows through the area of Route 1, causing the trees to dance to its silent melody. Leaves found themselves flying in the wind while the dust find itself levitating as shoes made contact with the dirt covered path. The air filled with various sounds from the ecosystem as Pokemon were in the trees and the tall grass doing their daily activities of survival. The wind then howled again, this time a lot louder and being a lot stronger as it caused some of them to take cover and brace themselves as it passes. As the air resumes its routine, it passes through the black hair of a boy with red eyes as he traversed the area. Holding onto his red hat, he continued along the path with Pikachu taking refuge in his backpack, sighing in content as it lay and watched the sky.

'At least one of us is comfortable.' Red thought, chuckling at his partner's actions. For several minutes, he continued walking through the wilderness, occasionally checking at the map. As the raven haired teen went to take a break by a tree with Pikachu hopping out of his bag and curling itself into a ball by the tree. As he put down his backpack, he immediately heard a rustling noise coming from the bush that made him jump and brace himself for whatever. Suddenly, a Pidgey darted through the grass and tackled Red in his chest, surprising the boy and his Pokemon as he got knocked to the ground. Pikachu got up and quickly disappeared, attacked the Pidgey in a burst of speed, smacking the Flying-type into the bushes.

"Thanks…" Red muttered out of breath, petting the Pokemon as he used the tree as support to regain his balance. He got up before turning to see shuffling again in the tall grass. Once again, Pidgey flew out the bush, this time followed by a Rattata as both of them glared angrily at Red and Pikachu.

"Pikachu, let's go." Red said as he fixed his hat on his head. Pikachu went before its foes and got into a battle stance with its cheeks crackling with electricity. Suddenly, Rattata bared its fangs at the yellow rodent with the Pidgey following behind.

"Pikachu, dodge their attacks then use Quick Attack on Rattata." Red ordered. Pikachu obliged, nimbly avoiding both of their attacks before disappearing in a flash and tackling Rattata into the ground. The bird Pokemon turned and went to attack the Electric-type, which was looking at Red in concern. Noticing this, the teen met its gaze, giving the Pokemon a confident stare before turning to Pidgey as it was closing in, narrowing his eyes at the bird as he waited. 'Just a bit closer.'

"Nuzzle." The red capped teen commanded, as it got close. Pikachu went towards the bird Pokemon, rubbing its cheeks against Pidgey before retreating. The result was the bird wings flapping slower, signaling its exhaustion, which earned a smirk from Red. 'Perfect.' He thought as he watched the bird Pokemon descend to the ground at an astonishing rate.

"Quick Attack Pidgey towards Rattata then use Thunderbolt!" the teen said, confidence radiating from his voice. Pikachu quickly sprinted towards Pidgey, hitting it into the Rattata. As they both crashed into each other, the yellow rodent cheeks started to spark with electricity as its two enemies close, releasing a huge bolt of lightning that blasted the two Pokemon. "Awesome, Pikachu! Not b-' Red's smirk faded quickly as he realized that the electrified duo was heading towards him.

'Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.' he said, backing away quickly. He tried to escape but it was too late, they crashed into him before they all collided into a tree. Pikachu ran towards them, seeing the two unconscious Pokemon along with a dirt covered teen with spiky hair due to the electricity. It laughed at its trainer as Red got up and blew a puff cloud from his mouth with an irritated expression on his face. "Real funny." The teen silently groaned, getting a brush out of his bag and combing his messy hair before putting his cap on his head. He then got up, holding out his hand for Pikachu who smiled before jumping on it and perching on his shoulder and nuzzling him, causing his hair to slightly rise.

"This is going to be an everyday thing, isn't it?" he said, his Pikachu responded by nodding with a smile. The teen sighed, a small smile appearing on his face before they headed off.

After an hour of venturing, he found a clearing on the route which he decided to use it as a place to rest for a while. Red took a seat on a log, taking out a chocolate bar and a bottle of water after he put some Pokefood in a bowl for Pikachu who was eating it cheerfully. After eating, the teen then laid himself on the grass, gazing at the clouds in the sky before drifting to sleep.

'Where am I' Red said as he ventured through darkness. As he continued his journey, he then heard a voice calling to him.

'_Red…'_

The raven haired teen looked around, searching for the source of the sound that somehow know his name. For what seems like hours, he endlessly searched for the voice but was unable to find it.

'_Where are you, Red?'_

He looked again, only to see a ray of light that shows an area he has never seen before. An endless grassland, covered in trees of different types as they all part away to make a clearing that was covered by water. 'What is that?' Red thought as he stared at the sight in awe. The light then started to fade, causing the teen to run frantically towards it, not knowing or caring of what will happen to him when he reaches his destination. As his hand touched the light, everything went blank as he found himself floating, as he heard a few words before going into the world of consciousness.

'_Don't forget our promise…'_

Red slowly woke up, feeling weight on his chest. Thinking it was Pikachu, he carefully got up, trying his best not to wake up the yellow rodent. Just as he sat up, he realized that he was holding was not his partner. "Wha?" He muttered. When he took a closer look, he realized that he had a Shinx who was sleeping soundly in his hands. Red put it down before waking up his partner whose ears twitched as it opened its eyes and smiled as it saw the other sleeping member. Silently, the red capped teen packed his not wanting to wake his new guest as he crept away from the slumbering Pokemon. Sadly it all came to vain when Pikachu jumped on it, excited to have a new playmate. "Pikachu." Red silently groaned with palm in his face. Shinx's eyes shot open, immediately playing with the yellow rodent before hopping on all fours and running circles around the red capped teen. Hearing a grumbling sound, Red looked down to see Shinx suddenly stopped moving, having a blush on its face which earned a laugh from Pikachu. 'Looks like someone's hungry.' Red sighed, rummaging through his backpack and taking out a bowl of berries and placed it before the blue Pokemon which it gingerly ate. When it finished eating, it let out a happy cry before rubbing Red's leg which made the teen smiled and petted the Pokemon. After allowing the two Electric type Pokemon to frolic around for some time, Red packed his things and was about to depart until he felt a tug on his leg, seeing both of them pulling his pants.

"What's wrong?" Red muttered, squatting down to eye level with them. Pikachu spoke loudly, gesturing to Shinx before stepping aside and pushing it towards the teen with its tail. It looked at the red capped teen nervously before it started to roar timidly then put its tail around his leg and nuzzled it.

"Y-you want to come with us?" Red asked. The Pokemon responded by nodding happily before running around in circles with Pikachu joining it, causing a quiet chuckle from the red capped teen. Red got up with Pikachu climbing on his shoulder, about to leave until he looked back to see Shinx looking at him perplexed by his behavior. "What's wrong, Shinx? Are you- Ohh!" The teen suddenly realized.

'I forgot most Pokemon battle before getting caught or staying in a Pokeball.' The red capped teen thought before kneeling and petting Shinx with a smile on his face. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and patted the Pokemon's back.

"It is your decision if you want to come with us or not." Red calmly said which the Pokemon responded by nodding quickly and letting out a happy growl. The teen got up and spun, continuing on the path with Pikachu and Shinx by either of his sides.

On his way, Red came across the occasional Rattata and Pidgey, along with a few Poochyena and Sentret who were dealt with handily by Pikachu and Shinx. After a few minutes of venturing he came across a ledge, looking up before preparing himself to climb. 'It's not that far so it should be doable with the gloves I have on.' With Pikachu and Shinx in his bag, he started to scale the rocks. Within minutes, he reached the top of the ledge, raising his hands in success. 'That's a new record!' He thought, stretching his body, as the son of an archaeologist, Red was introduced to hiking and mountain climbing earlier than most kids. He got up, standing proudly as he dusted his hands, looking down the ledge with a grin on his face. As he walked off, he was suddenly attacked by a barrage of rocks which missed him, the stones barely grazing him as they passed by. Before he could turn, a snowstorm suddenly started, instantly enveloping the area in a sheet of snow.

'What the-' Red couldn't finish his thought as a gust of snow hit the group, blowing his hat off, leaving his black hair in the open. After the cold winds have subsided, the teen scouted the area for his companions, noticing Pikachu's feet poking out of the snow. He quickly made his way to it, pulling the shivering Pokemon out of the snow and putting it into his jacket to shelter it from the cold. Red resumed his search through the endless sea of snow, this time for Shinx and possibly his hat. Before he could continue, he sensed something from far away which caused a chill up his spine. Without missing a beat, he turned and pointed in the direction of the presence. "Thunderbolt."

The Pokemon leaped out of his jacket and released a bolt of lightning in that direction which collided with a barrage of rocks resulting in an explosion. The teen's scarlet eyes darted around the forest, trying to find for any form of movement, shadow or shape. 'What was that?' He asked, still keeping watch. After what seem to be a few minutes, Pikachu's ears twitched as it heard footsteps and turned towards the source of the sound, Red mimicking its actions and bracing himself for any surprise attacks. As he looked on, his widened as he heard clapping from the distance.

"Well if it isn't the Crimson Menace himself?" the voice said, making the scarlet eyed teen flinch at the name. Out of the woods came a boy who looked to be the same age as Red with curly blue hair and hazel eyes, wearing a long sleeved, zipped up black sweater with a skull on the back and grey jeans along with black sneakers. He walked up until he paused a few feet from Red, a smirk on his face as two Pokemon, a Rockruff and an Alolan Vulpix, walked alongside him. 'Devin.' Red thought darkly as he gave the hazel eyed teen, whose name was Devin, an annoyed glare.

"Never thought you would still be alive after your mom kicked you out and that rainstorm that happened days ago. It's sad, really but I can put a fix to that." The boy said as the two teens locked in an intense stare in the snow storm. Pikachu started to shiver causing Red to break from the silent stare down, he then picked it up before walking away. 'This isn't worth it, I need to get Pikachu out of here and find Shinx.' He thought as he continued down the road before he was attacked again, sidestepping out of the way of the rocks.

"Don't think you're getting away, you freak." He spat, frustration and disgust oozing from his mouth as he spoke, his Rockruff baring his fangs and the Vulpix gave a cold glare at red eyed teen who was more worried about his other companion. Walking away again, Red started to search around the snow covered forest for Shinx, looking for any trace of its blue fur, causing the hazel eyed boy grit his teeth in frustration.

"Don't you dare ignore me, you red eyed freak." Devin said, his tone getting darker which unnerved Pikachu as he continued. "Rockruff, Rock Tomb!"

Rockruff barked and stomped on the ground, which blasted several rocks at Red and Pikachu. The rodent jumped off Red's arms to the ground, letting out a blast of lightning that destroyed the stone projectiles. "Do it again!" Devin ordered as the Pokemon repeated the process again, this time sending more rocks. Exchanging looks to each other, Red and Pikachu turned their attention to the ensuing attack, waiting for the attack to come close. As it reached them, Red put his hands in his pocket, before opening his mouth. "Double Team."

Obeying the teen's orders, Pikachu dodged the falling rocks by creating several mirages of itself that dart throughout the field, confusing Rockruff. "Dammit." Devin said as his fists start to clench before he turned to his Vulpix, a mischievous smirk appearing on his face. As he turned around, he witnessed Rockruff getting hit with a powerful Thunderbolt from Pikachu.

'When did he have such a strong starter? That attack alone did too much damage.' The curly haired teen thought, appalled at the strength of the mouse Pokemon. Rockruff struggled to get up from the attack, standing up with its legs shaking as it let out a weak bark. Devin looked at his opponent, noticing a look of confidence on Red's face. He clenched his fists again, 'How is it that this freak got such a strong Pokemon? What the hell was Professor Oak thinking, helping this criminal?' His thoughts were interrupted by a pained yelp from his Pokemon as it was hit with yet another Thunderbolt, knocking it unconscious. Red sighed in relief while Pikachu made a victory pose before they both turned around and eyed Devin and Vulpix. The raven haired teen then heard mutterings before his eyes widen by a quiet but threatening command from Devin.

"Vulpix, Powder Snow." He ordered, which made the blast a gust of cold wind at the two, causing Red to lose sight of Pikachu. As the attack subsided, the black haired teen opened his eyes to a fist that connected to his jaw which send him to the snow covered ground. Caught by surprise and holding his jaw in pain, he tried to get up but was interrupted as another punch collided with his face. Red opened his eyes to see the curly haired teen looming over him, having a crazed smile on his face as he started to crack his knuckles. Devin then started to ruthlessly pummel the trainer, binding the raven haired teen's arms with his feet. Pikachu cried in shock, sprinting to intervene until a gust of wind hit it, obscuring its path. As it searched for its trainer, its ears twitched as it heard the sound of footsteps, seeing the Alolan Vulpix appearing from the darkness, an evil smirk on its face. The two Pokemon locked eyes before the ice-type sprinted towards Pikachu in an attempt to attack it.

"I missed doing this, Red." He said as he threw a punch.

"Punching your stupid face." Another strike came after, his smile widening.

"We had such an amazing relationship, you know…Just you, me and the gang. Going on trips, talking about our dreams." Three more punches connected to Red face who was barely conscious as one of them struck his temple.

"Remember the trip to the toilet, Red? Hahaha! What about the one to the garbage heap? Good times. My favorite was the trip we had to river. Didn't know you could swim, Red. You really surprised especially since you almost drowned." Red looked at his attacker with a hardened expression, remaining silent. His hands clenching into fists from the pain, becoming irritated as he tasted blood in his mouth and felt it slide down to the side of his face.

'It's no use, isn't it? No matter how much I try." Red thought, surprised that he found himself silently chuckling which was unnoticed by Devin. The curly haired teen continued smiling wickedly as he resumed his assault as blood started to splatter onto the snow.

"What's wrong, you freak?! Meowth's got your tongue?!" Devin taunted as he resume pummeling the raven haired teen almost to the point of unconsciousness. Suddenly, a loud cry from the distance filled the air which surprised both teenagers, Red's eyes widening as he recognized the voice. Another scream was heard, confirming the raven haired teen's suspicions as it resonated through the area.

'Pikachu!' Red thought as Devin smirked proudly, landing another punch on the injured teen.

"That's music to my ears." Devin said, smiling at the accomplishment of his Pokemon. Red, however, was wide-eyed once more as another cry announced itself, ringing through his ears.

'What am I doing?' Red thought, clenching his teeth and growling silently. At a sudden burst of adrenaline, he started to use all the strength that his body could afford to get Devin off of him. The curly haired boy realized, using his weight to restrain the silent teen.

"So you can actually fight? Sad that your wittle Pikachu is getting hurt?" Devin grinned, causing Red to angrily glare at him as he struggled in pushing off his attacker with all his might with a singular goal in his mind.

'I need to get to her.' The raven haired teen thought as he exerted more force to overtake Devin who was having issues keeping his target in place. With his fist raised, he was about to strike Red once until he felt a hit on his back which caused his grip on the boy's arm to lessen. The red-eyed boy kicked once more which made Devin lose his grip on him. Being freed, Red yelled out in rage as he unleashed a headbutt the curly haired teen. This staggered the curly haired male as he started to swear, clutching his head. "Owwwww! Damn it! That fucking hurts!"

Taking advantage of the situation, Red winded his right hand into a fist and slamming it into Devin's face, knocking him back. Frustrated and clutching his bleeding nose, the curly haired teen tried to go on the offense which was futile as his red eyed adversary drove his feet into his stomach, knocking him into a tree.

"Damn it, Red! You fucking freak!" Devin screamed as he held his stomach. Slowly getting up, Red immediately sprinting into the direction of the voice looking for Pikachu, ignoring his injuries.

"Pikachu!" He called, ignoring the pain of his jaw as he opened it. He received no response before rushing to another part of the forest and calling again. Red then noticed a change in temperature which immediately caused him to shiver. 'Man why does it have to be cold?' Red thought as he got to a clearing, seeing Pikachu on the floor barely unconscious as Alolan Vulpix and Rockruff ruthlessly attack the Pokemon. Moving on emotion and adrenaline, the scarlet eyed teen tackled the Ice type into the rock type Pokemon before picking up his partner and sprinting quickly out of sight.

"It'll be alright, Pikachu. Stay strong." Red whispered, cradling the yellow mouse. Feeling exhausted, he stopped and hid behind a tree, taking out a Potion vial and feeding it to his comrade. Barely conscious, Piakchu weakly drank the medicine as Red heard noises and a flurry of insults and expletives in the distance.

"Shit! That red eyed freak got away!" Devin angrily yelled, holding his nose. Extremely frustrated, he send his fist into a tree which made him wince slightly in pain by the recoil. The curly haired teen then started to kick the tree, screaming, "When I get my hands on him, he won't be able to walk again!"

Sniffing the air, Rockruff then barked at him, interrupting his rant. It motioned to the ground, which the young trainer did, finding a set of footprints going down the snowy path. Devin smirked devilishly, patting the Pokemon's head for the discovery. "Good boy!" Grinning evilly, the curly haired then eagerly followed the trail. As Red rested by the tree, he tried to get Pikachu better with the medicine he had in his bag. As he finished giving it the medications, he sighed in relief as he heard the rodent breathing easily, sleeping soundly in his arms.

'Thank goodness. You're alright.' Red thought before leaning back on the tree, feeling the bruises across his face, which made him wince in pain, looking at the snowy ground that was starting to melt. 'Dude did a number on me.'

After a few minutes of rest, Red shakily got up and ready to pick up his bag before he was attacked, knocking him a few feet from his initial position. Red looked up, seeing Devin chuckling with his arms folded, his two Pokemon alongside him. The teen then noticed that his bag with Pikachu inside it a couple feet from the curly haired teen.

'Déjà vu.' Red thought. Ignoring the pain that circulated through his body, the raven haired teen got up and sprinted towards his backpack. Before he was able to reach his bag, a rock collided with his arm causing him to yell in pain, he tried again only to get hit in the chest by a blast of white energy which made him collapse on the ground. Red struggled to get up, hacking and coughing up blood as he did so and feeling pain course through his left arm. As he continued to ascend off the ground, he was once again intervened by a blast to his stomach which made more blood expel from his mouth as he coughed.

"Whoops! My bad. Vulpix's aim was a little off. No hard feeling, ok?" Devin said with a wide smile on his face, having delight at Red's pain. "Rock Tomb." He commanded another attack to hit the black haired teen, this time on his head which made him collapsed on the ground.

"Man! I really need to work on their aim! Sorry, bro." Devin said with a wide smile on his face, starting to laugh as he ruthlessly tortured Red until he fell to his knees, panting as he tries to gain some form of movement. Devin walked up to the raven haired trainer and stood over him, before pulling his hair, coldly muttering from his mouth, "Sorry, Red. It's just natural selection." The curly haired trainer then proceeded to knee Red in the stomach, knocking the air out of him.

"Now. You seem real proud of that Pikachu. It is powerful, I'll give you that. However…" He paused, laying his eyes on the bag before resuming. "…I wanna know how tough it is." Locking eyes with his eyes, he nodded to them, both of them preparing their attacks at the yellow mouse. Red's eyes widen as he saw this, he looked at Pikachu who was still sleeping peacefully, its fur slightly ruffled and dirty due to its recent encounters and battles.

"…don't hurt…her…" The teen muttered darkly, his tone causing Devin to flinch, thinking it was a ghost. "…don't you…DARE…touch…her…" Red said with more malice in his voice, shaking him out of Devin grip and going in front of Pikachu in a protective position. The curly haired teen smirked, ordering his Pokemon to attack as the raven haired withstood the attacks, not moving from his spot.

"Again." Devin ordered bitterly. His Pokemon followed his command and let out a barrage of attacks at the red eyed teenager, who only stood his ground and endured the attacks. Red screams of pain resonated through the air, making Pikachu's ears twitched at the sound. Opening its eyes and turning to the direction of the noise, its eyes widen as it saw the beaten and bloody state of its trainer. It gasped in surprise as another barrage of attacks hit the trainer, making him fall to his knees as he started to cough out blood. Ceasing the ongoing attack from his Pokemon, Devin smirked as he saw the condition Red was in.

"C'mon, Red. Does it hurt?"

"…" Red remained silent, barely conscious as he couldn't even move his head to up to see their faces.

"You gotta talk if you want me to stop, bro."

"…"

"I hope it hurts. That's how they felt, you freak!"

"…"

"Those people. This is how they felt but worse. Sad how you never were punished for their deaths." As Devin said bitterly, Red visibly flinched, feeling guilt consume him as the words that were spat, suddenly opening his bruised mouth.

"…I…d-"

"What? You didn't do it?! Ha!" Devin interrupted, laughing hysterically before stopping and looking at Red with a sinister glare. "You expect us to believe that! It seems even the head police believe that, saying they're still looking for the murderer when they know it's you! They may have concealed the truth but we all know you caused it, you bastard!" He continued, his voice getting louder as he spoke. "People like you don't deserve to live! How do you sleep with their blood on your hands?!" The curly haired teen shouted, looking at Red with eyes of disgust. As the raven haired teen finally found the strength to lift his head to glance at his face, the black haired teen flinched as he saw Devin glaring at him with eyes filled with hatred.

"You know, I never liked the look of those eyes of yours. The color. The hue. Nothing. I thought you were some Pokemon that somehow infiltrated our school. However…" Devin paused, trembling and clenching his fists as he looked at Red with pure rage oozing from his hazel eyes.

"…after that…night, your eyes with so much intensity. I will never forget that look on your face. You took my cousin away from me! YOU TOOK THEM AWAY FROM US!" The curly haired teen spoke, each word more intense as tears formed in his eyes, trying to escape. Upon seeing this, Red simply slumped his shoulders as he gazes at the ground with a melancholic expression on his face.

"…I…d-didn't…mean…t-to…" Red barely worded before being interrupted by Devin.

"Do it?! Too late, Fires! Damage already done! EVERYONE IS GONE! AND YOU NEED TO DIE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Devin yelled before taking a minute to calm down and catch his breath, rubbing his temples then starting again, commanding his Pokemon to attack. "It's only right. A monster like you cannot be unleashed into this world. Now do us a solid and die, freak."

"Good riddance, crimson menace." He deadpanned. As they did so, Red looked forward as his life started to see his life flash before his eyes, every event in his life played until this point. He felt many things: happiness, sadness, despair, agony, rage and depression. As he snapped from his trance, he then quickly positioned himself in front of Pikachu who was crying and pulling him away. "I can't…move, Pikachu…but I need…you to run away, ok? Run away…and don't look…back." He said with a smile on his face and a tear falling from his face as he found himself some solace.

'At least, I was able to save someone before it ends.' He thought as another tear descended.

"Thanks, Pikachu…for accompanying…me. And…make sure…you take…care of Shinx, ok?" He said, taking one last glance at Pikachu before facing forward and then closing his eyes.

'Goodbye, friend.' Was the last words he thought before he was engulfed by the series of attacks from Rockruff and Alolan Vulpix. The shockwave of the blasts causing vibrations throughout the area as the wild Pokemon in the area to scurry and run away. Devin smiled, admiring the result of the assault. Feeling bliss, his smile enlarged as he let out a sigh of relief.

"It's over." He muttered as he went and petted his Pokemon, looking back at the smoke oozing from the spot that the attack hit with a happy expression. Devin's face became content as he sighed once more.

"It's finally over."

**A/N: I am sorry for the long wait. Faced a writer's block at this point and had to break. But don't worry, I'm back and raring to go. Here is Chapter 3. The next chapter is coming soon as well. Thanks for the reviews and your story so far. Also, the wildlife of the routes is based of Heart Gold/ Soul Silver games with some slight changes from the Let's Go games. Enough talking from me. **Hope y'all enjoy the chapter and the story so far.


	5. Chapter 4: Chains of the Past Part II

Nothing.

He heard nothing. He saw nothing. He felt nothing. Everything was covered in darkness. Red tried to move but to no avail. His eyes darting to see chains bounding him still, rendering him immobile.

"Hello?" He called out into the darkness to hear nothing returning his call as silence loomed the area. Acting on adrenaline, he struggled against his chains for what seemed to be hours. He then stayed still, ultimately giving up as resistance is futile. As he remained stagnant, hands started to emerge from the void towards the restrained teen. Scared and desperate, his scarlet eyes once again darting around and searching for any source of light which was unsuccessful. Realizing there is no escape, he sighed in defeat and closed his eyes, succumbing to the shadows.

Smoke enveloped the area, putting any animate and inanimate objects into obscurity. The winds, cold due to the effects of Vulpix's Snow Warning ability, blew gently across the fields, causing shivers to anything that is not prepared for it. Everything was quiet except for a few voices who shout and speak in a victorious manner and tone.

"It's finally over!" A voice, which belongs to Devin, exclaimed with two others crying in joy afterwards. They resume their cheers until a crackling sound starts to resonate through the air. The applause subsided quickly when lightning can be seen oozing from the smoke making it look like a thundercloud that was too close. Before long, it cleared, revealing a brutally bruised and bloodied body on the snowy ground and in front of the figure was a yellow rodent that was hissing in anger with the hairs on its body standing on edge and its cheeks glowing with electricity. Pikachu glared at the group with pure rage in its eyes. Everyone stood still, silence occupying the area until it was interrupted by a voice.

"How…how are you still…alive?" said Devin, speechless and dumbfounded of the scene that is playing in front of him. Pikachu didn't listen as it continued to hiss at the trio, the lightning from its cheeks intensifying. Tears threaten to run down its cheeks as it yelled in fury, releasing electricity against its opponents as a warning which caused the trio to flinch in fear at its power.

"I can't allow you…" Devin said then paused, growling and clenching his teeth in irritation. Pikachu positioned itself, ready to attack as its opponents does the same motion. "...I can't allow your trainer to live after what he's done." He finished, looking at Pikachu as he clutched his hair.

"I'll make sure this time you're done." The curly haired teen said in a threatening tone, ruffling his hair before commanding his Pokemon.

"Rockruff, Rock Tomb and Vulpix, use Hidden Power."

The two Pokémon launched their attacks at Pikachu who swiftly sprinted towards them before releasing bolts of lightning in their direction, making their attack collide with each other. Their moves clashed causing smoke to appear and envelope the three combatants, leaving Devin to anxiously wait for the results. After a few moments, it cleared and revealed the three Pokemon who are now participating in an intense stare down. Pikachu then quickly leaped forward towards Rockruff and Vulpix, who also advanced forward towards the electric mouse.

"Once more!" Devin shouted before the three of them clashed once more, the shockwave causing him to close his eyes and shield them using his arm. 'What is with this Pikachu?' He thought, examining the electric mouse as it steadied itself to attack again.

"This…is not going to be an easy fight." He muttered, glancing the Pokemon once more before looking at his own. Pikachu yelled once more, letting out electricity from its body before sprinting towards them with fury in its eyes.

As an arm was rewarded physical contact with Red, causing the teen to tremble unconsciously. A voice then started to fill the environment, increasing in volume and oozing a malicious and demonic tone.

'_Murderer_.'

The boy flinched as more arms appeared and started to grab, pull and scratch parts of his body as extra voices started to enter the realm, each one sounding more evil than the previous. Frightened, Red tried to shake them off but was immobile due to the chains holding him still, forced to stay and listen to them.

_'__Monster.'_

_'__Killer.'_

_'__Atone for your sins, freak.'_

_'__Demon in human clothing.'_

The appendages resumed grabbing and pulling at the teen, some starting to punch him. His shackles vibrates as he tries to move, his mind determined for freedom but the futility of his efforts shown in him stagnant in one spot. The voices intensified as they continue to mercilessly insult the teen, who just closed his eyes and endured the verbal assault.

_'__Die!'_

_'__You damn fucker!'_

_'__Why are you still alive?!'_

_'__You should not exist! You should never have existed.'_

Red slumped, tears threatened to fall off his face as he heard the insults from the voices within the darkness until flames suddenly appeared in front of him. The fire took form of a big building as wood and lumber started to emerge from the inferno. As more features got revealed, it started to look like a school with a small playground.

"N-no way." Red stuttered as his crimson eyes spotted the name that was on the top section of the school. 'Pallet Academy?' His eyes widen as he saw the building still remained as it was engulfed by flames. Screams and cries of pain pierced the void as the flames increased, making Red flinch at the eerily tone that they have. He tried again to gain mobility and freedom from his shackles but it was unsuccessful just like before. Red slumped once more, his black hair covering his eyes and as he is subjected to the constant abuse of the darkness, unable to retaliate.

Another clash took place, creating another patch of burnt grass along with a small crater. As the combatants took their spots on their side of the forest, they panted as their bodies started to feel the fatigue of the showdown they've had. Everything stood still until Pikachu instantly leaped forward towards the two Pokemon, rubbing its cheeks against Rockruff before it speedily tackled Vulpix. As the yellow rodent retreated to its side of the field, Devin found an opportunity to attack.

"Rockruff, Bite as it's moving away." He commanded, getting no response from the Rock-type. He glanced at the Pokemon, who was on the ground exhausted and barely able to move, much to the teen's confusion.

"Rockruff, what's wrong?" Devin asked, receiving a weak yelp as a response as it tried to get up but falling on the ground as it got to its feet.

"Damn! It's paralyzed!" Devin said before clenching his teeth before turning his gaze to Vulpix.

"Vulpix use Powder Snow." He commanded. The fox Pokemon nodded before exhaling a gust of cold wind at Pikachu who dodged the attack before releasing out a bolt of electricity at it. Caught off guard, it wasn't able to dodge as it took the attack which knocked it onto the paralyzed Rockruff. Devin was about to order another attack before Pikachu suddenly appeared between the two Pokemon then nuzzled it cheeks against Vulpix before instantly disappearing and tackling the Rock-type.

'Why is it still so fast despite being tired?' Devin thought before he looked at Rockruff, frustration in his eyes. 'I can't lose. This freak's gotta pay for what he's done.' He thought angrily before snapping back at the Rock Pokemon who was eagerly waiting on a command despite being paralyzed.

"Sand Attack to stop it then Rock Tomb. Vulpix, use Hidden Power to keep it still." He ordered, trying to figure out Pikachu's movements. The two Pokemon did as they were commanded and Rockruff threw sand in Pikachu's eyes, causing it temporary blindness. However, it split into multiple copies of itself before they could hit it which gave it enough time to recover. As soon as it did, it tackled Rockruff before holding unto the rock-type and releasing a series of electrical attacks until it was unconscious.

"What the- How?" Devin stated, baffled by the fighting spirit of the Pikachu as it turned its gaze to Vulpix. The curly haired teen grinded his teeth as he returned his Rockruff, unsure of his win in this situation.

'It took me on a double battle and was able to hold its own despite the odds. Damn it! Gotta find a work around.' He thought as his eyes darted around the forest. His hazel eyes then landed on a body on the floor, a brutally beaten and bruised body. Upon realizing the body was Red, a smile appeared on Devin's face which grew bigger and wider the more seconds have passed.

"Bingo." He muttered in realization before breaking into a sprint towards the bloodied body with a maniacal laugh that slowly started to get louder. During its brawl with Vulpix, Pikachu started hearing footsteps which alerted to turn to see Devin advancing towards Red's body at a quick pace. The rodent Pokemon eyes widened before it released all the electricity in its body, knocking its adversary unconscious.

"Wah?" Before Devin could turn his head in their direction, the electric-type sprinted past him, being in front of Red in a protective gesture and growling uncontrollably at the curly haired teen with lightning bursting from its cheeks. Devin couldn't do anything but watch the Pokemon who was ready to attack if he so much as stumble forward. The curly haired teen sighed in defeat, turning around and returning his Vulpix before walking off past the Electric-type and then retreating down the pathway towards Viridian City. As he travelled a certain distance, he suddenly turned around, glancing at the Pokemon once more before saying something. "Just be glad you caught me off guard. Next time, however, I promise you that it will not go the same way. I will kill your master."

After he worded his statement, he then turned and continued on the route, leaving Pikachu and Red alone in the forest. As he disappeared from view, Pikachu let out a breath that it didn't know it held before turning to its friend, trying its best to shock him back to consciousness which proved to be difficult. After a few minutes of numerous attempts, it gave up and waited patiently on him to wake up.

Minutes turn to hours as the torture resumed, leaving Red emotionally and physically exhausted and bruised by the endless assault of the denizens of the realm. His eyes shut and teeth clenched as he withstood the pain he received from the numerous attacks that collided with him.

'Will this ever…end?' Red thought as he endured the endless assault as he could only stay still. This resumed for hours until a silent and serene voice caught his attention, causing the teen to open his eyes.

_'…__Red…' _The voice resonated again from the distance, a bit louder as it caught his attention once more. As he searched throughout the darkness for the source but was unable to find it.

_'__Red…' _The voice came again, this time a bit more clear than it was a moment ago. As he searched for the sound, he noticed a small dot of light within the darkness that seems to be increasing in size. The voice came again, this time clearer as it resonated from the light snapping the teen's attention towards it.

"What?" Red muttered before the demonic voices that he heard previously started to decrease in volume and the shadowy hands started to dissipate due to the intense glow that illuminated the realm.

_'__Red.'_ The voice said, more distinct, allowing Red to recognize it instantly.

"Pikachu?" He questioned, his red eyes peering into the light, seeing a small silhouette emerging. Red tried to move but was experiencing difficulties due to his chains. He then instantly remembered that his partner may be in danger as Devin may still be out there, possibly attacking it. As the thought of Pikachu being hurt popped in his head, he clenched his teeth as he pulled the chains with all his strength, ignoring the voices, the slight beatdown he still was receiving and the pain that he was feeling.

"I'm coming." He said, grunting as he pulled harder. At this moment, nothing mattered to him more than the safety of his friend. "Come on. Move!" Red said, feeling slight movement as he heard the chains starting to break.

"I don't care if I'm seen as a monster. I don't care what others think of me. Even someone like me can have at least, one friend." He said, the sounds of the shackles filling the air and making him tune out the voices around him except Pikachu's.

"And if that's the case, I'll fight my damn conscience if I have to!" Red struggled even harder, clenching his teeth and closing his eyes as he pulled as hard as he could. As he resumed his strife, veins started to appear on his arms and head as he strained against the chains, one goal on his mind.

_'__Red! Red!'_ The words came from the silhouettes as it got closer. "Come on! Almost there! She needs you!" He yelled to no one in particular, his mind determined on breaking the shackles as he heard the voice speak again to him.

_'__Red. You are no monster. You are better than that. From what I've seen from you these past few days, you're a kind human with a big heart. A human who puts others before himself. And I know you are not pretending, you are a kind soul through and through. You are my first real friend, Red Fires! And friends never quit.'_

Everything started to fade out as the light almost consumed the realm. Red positioned himself, making one more pull as he saw his friend, shouting with all his strength. As he bellowed his final cry, the chains broke, scattering everywhere as the raven haired teen sighed exhausted, glad to be able to finally move his arms before he moved his eyes to the owner of the voice, smiling. Everything was enveloped in light as the two figures embraced each other in the realm, laughing uncontrollably.

Red's eyes finally opened as he first noticed the clear blue sky in front of him. Blinking several times, he immediately tried to get up only to stop as soon as he felt intense pain coursing through his body. Repeating the process at a slower pace, he endured the discomfort as he rose from the ground then leaned against a nearby tree. He searched around the forest, seeing evidence that showed the aftermath of an intense battle that took place earlier. His scarlet eyes then frantically darted around the area looking for Pikachu, trying to find any sign of yellow in the field.

"Pika."

He instantly jumped when he heard the sound from his right, turning to see Pikachu looking at him with tears slowly starting to fall from its face. He smiled, trying his best to move which didn't work as the mouse Pokemon ran at top speed and leaped into his chest, crying unto his chest. A few tears appeared on Red's face as he was barely able to pet Pikachu head as it nuzzled itself further into his chest.

"I'm glad you're ok." The raven haired teen said happily. After a few minutes of resting, Red was able to gain a bit of mobility despite the excruciating pain and was able to tend to most of his wounds with the help of some medicinal supplies in his bag. After he was finished, he decided to set up camp and rest for the day before continuing to travelling to Viridian City. As nightfall arrived, Red sat by the campfire, gazing at the stars before he begin to zone out everything around him. Pikachu quickly noticed this and called to him which snapped the scarlet eyed boy out of his daze as he returned a smile to it.

"Sorry, there. Just a bit lost in thought, you know." He said to the Pokemon who tilted its head in confusion. "It has been quite an eventful couple of days, hasn't it?" Red asked to which the Pokemon responded by nodding.

"It felt like months even though it was just a few days. It's like you were always there for me. Sounds weird, huh?" He chuckled, glancing at Pikachu to see it shaking its head which caught him by surprise. He looked at the electric type as it brushed it cheeks against him and rested itself on his lap with a look of content. A smile started to spread itself across his face as he slowly ruffled its hair.

"For all my life, I have always been picked on because of my eyes. Honestly, it went to a point where I got used to it. I mean, don't get me wrong, it hurts but I got used to it. The only people who would never have a problem with them was my parents, mostly my father. Then I finally made two friends."

Pikachu's ears perked as it looked at its trainer with a curious expression despite its sleepiness present in its eyes. It then started to close its eyes, drifting off into the realm of slumber.

"We did almost everything together until…" Red stopped, noticing that Pikachu is asleep.

'Rest. You need it. You had a very long day.' He thought as he looked up to the sky then dropped his gaze back at the Pokemon.

"Thanks for helping me. For saving me. But most of all…" He paused as a single tear escaped his left eye and fell down on Pikachu, which slightly startled it before becoming comfortable again.

"…thank you for being a friend." He silently continued before going inside of his tent and putting a blanket over the Pokemon before laying down and drifting to sleep himself, smiling as he started to fall in a slumber and finally be relieved of his nightmares.

It was morning as Red woke up and stretched, feeling multiple aches from all over his body. He packed up everything before going on the route, determined to reach Viridian City by at least nightfall. As they travelled along the route, they searched for their other travelling companion, Shinx, who was separated from them. A few hours of searching later along with wild Pokemon battles throughout the route and they saw a sign that said 'Viridian City' before finding themselves by the entrance of the city. Red sighed tiredly before looking at his Pokegear to see the time.

"It's just 12:35. I thought we were in there longer than that." Red said surprised before turning around and looking towards Route 1. "I hope Shinx is ok. I searched almost everywhere on the route. Wonder if it's in the city." He sighed as he pocketed his device before looking at Pikachu who was bouncing in excitement.

"Well, Pikachu. Time to go-" He was interrupted by a person in a blue uniform who walked up to him. Red looked at the person, immediately realizing the Pokemart logo on his shirt before hiding his eyes in his hair.

"I see that you're a rookie trainer. Well, if you need any supplies you can go to our Pokemarts which is located all over the region. Here's some free sample Potions and a Fresh water for you to enjoy." The employee said, handing the raven haired teen a bag of items with a sincere smile on his face before returning to the entrance of the city. Red looked at the items that he were given before stuffing them into his backpack. He then cleared his throat and continued, causing Pikachu ears to fall as it melancholically walked beside him. Red looked at the rodent before stopping and beginning to announced, which perked up the Pokemon mood.

"Before I was rudely interrupted. It's time to traverse the city." Red said in an announcer like voice which caused the electric type to clap for him. He made a mock bow which earned a snicker from his yellow rodent friend as they both walked into Viridian City side by side with smiles on their faces.

**A/N: Finally! Red gets a break. Or does he? We'll have to look for the next chapter to find out. Honestly, when I made Devin, he was just supposed to be a regular battle and that's it but I thought that's boring and while writing this chapter planned this out. Yes, I said this chapter. Chains of the Past was actually supposed to be one chapter but I decided to cut it in two because…look at it. Hope you guys will love this chapter and thanks for the positive feedback. **


	6. Chapter 5: Viridian City Blues

As the sun peers overhead in the blue cloudy sky, Red made his way through Viridian City in search for the sole purpose of finding the Pokemart with Pikachu by his side who was doing sightseeing of the various buildings within the city. The raven haired trainer smiled at the yellow rodent until it sprinted off to a shop, making the teen have to chase it as it entered the store and pointed at a yellow popsicle on a menu board in an excited manner. 'Seriously, a Pikapop?' Red thought as he raised a brow at the Pokemon who was jumping happily. Pikachu gave the raven haired trainer a sad pout which cause the trainer to flinch. 'No. I will not fall for this. I refuse.' The teen said in his thoughts as he bashfully turned his back to the rodent only to see it back into his face with the same look. Finding that it was futile to resist, he sighed as he went to the lady at the cash register and pointed at the Pikapop on the menu board, confusing the woman.

"You want the Pikapop?" She asked with confusion etched in her voice, earning a nod from the raven haired teen as he went in his pocket and gave the money for the icy treat while the yellow rodent skipped in anticipation as it waited. The lady then gave the trainer the treat before Red crouched and gave it to Pikachu who happily took the popsicle, nibbling it as it jumped on its trainer bag. Exiting the store, Red resumed on his path as he made his way towards the Pokemart, his mind completely focused on getting Pokeballs. As he was on his way, he realized that the Pokemon Center was closed which made him raise his brows in a confused manner.

'Weird. The Pokemon Center is almost always open.' He thought until he was interrupted by screams that pierced through the air, engulfing any other forms of sound within the area. Startled but mostly worried about what is taking place, Red sprinted towards the source with Pikachu still nibbling on its icy treat, wanting to finish it before going into battle. The raven haired trainer reached his destination as another barrage of screams filled the air, seeing an entire building being surrounded by two men in black clothing, one had a bandanna on that masked their face along with a hoodie and the other had a mask that shows the face of a Charizard covering his face. Red watched the two men as he turned his gaze to see civilians in the store trembling on the ground as they all huddled in one spot on the shiny tiled floor. As the silent teen observed the area, he noticed that there was one more person in the store who was in the store, stealing anything that his hands could find as the two stood as guards. 'Looks like he's their leader.' Red speculated as he went into his bag while picking up some stones. He took another glance at the scene until he saw the name of the building saying 'Pokemart' in blue block fashion which earned a groan as Red slowly placed his face in his palm.

'Of course it's the Pokemart.' He thought sarcastically while he was putting the stones in his pocket. The raven haired teen took out his Pokegear as he made a text, the device making a sound signaling that he finished his message as he put it back into his bag.

"You ready, Pikachu?" Red asked as he pulled out a slingshot from his bag, testing it to see if it was functioning properly. 'Perfect' He thought before he saw Pikachu's response to his question which was a quick nod as it allow a little electricity to escape its red cheeks. Red then quietly formulated a plan with the yellow rodent, gaining a few nods from the Electric-type, before they both were going to set out and reenact the plan only to be stopped and startled by a voice that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. They were not the only ones to have this reaction as the thugs shared their mutual reaction as well before they turned to the direction of the sound, seeing an old man, swaying side to side as he made his way to the robbers.

"Never fear for I am here!" The elderly man announced before he pointed at the thugs who both were still bewildered by his sudden entrance. The thug with the bandanna shook himself out of his stupor as he let out a dog like creature with red eyes with grey and black fur that started to snarl at the old man. "That's a Poochyena, I think. If I remember, it's a Dark-type Pokemon, right?" Red silently contemplated as he turned to Pikachu as the yellow rodent gave Red a straight face as it shrugs, not knowing itself.

"A pesky runt! Just like you!" The old man shouted as he put his hands on his sides while laughing, confusing everyone within hearing distance of his voice. "Now! Go Dragonite!" He then threw a Pokeball into the air from his hand, releasing a yellow caterpillar with a horn on its head with a red nose. Silence and confusion filled the air as everyone's eyes were glued on the mentioned Dragonite just to see a small Weedle in its place.

"What the?"

"That's...not a Dragonite though."

"Is he alright, Mommy?"

"Isn't that a Weedle and not a Dragonite

"I don't know, sweetie. I don't know."

"We're doomed."

"Is he drunk?"

Everyone started whispering until the man started to put his hand at his sides like a superhero, waving at the captured civilians, causing them much confusion. "Never fear, wonderful people. I will take care of this." He said in a loud voice.

Let's go, Dragonite! Use Dragon Pulse!" The old man commanded, causing everyone including his Pokemon to be confused as they looked at him with bewildered and concerned expressions. The elderly man made a hiccup which caused a wave of groans and sighs, Red and Pikachu mimicking everyone actions as they followed with a palm connecting to their face. The thug laughed vigorously as he held his stomach that was in pain, trying his best not to fall on the ground.

"This man said Dragonite! Hahahaha!" He paused before continuing to laugh again which caused the old man to glare at them.

"He then told the Weedle to use Dragon Pulse! Hahahahahahaa!" He said, bending over as he used the wall to support himself until he finished laughing, causing his masked partner to snicker. Enraged, the old man made a command his Weedle to attack only to be interrupted as the thug's Poochyena quickly attacked the Pokemon, knocking it unconscious. After the Dark-type took down the yellow caterpillar, it then barked before it was enveloped with an intense white light, causing it to change form as it grew bigger. After the white light dissipated, it revealed a larger and more intimidating Pokemon with shaggier fur and huge claws as it bared its big fangs at the old man who only watched it with a fearful expression on his face. The man whistled as he looked at his evolved Pokemon, a smirk present on his face.

"Huh? A Mightyena. Not bad." He said before turning his gaze to the old man before his smirk got wider and more sinister.

"Let's make an example out of this old man."

Instantly realizing what he meant, Red sped off into an alley, trying to close the distance and quietly and quickly as possible. Sneaking closer to the blue top building, both Pokemon and trainer stopped behind a dumpster bin as the Electric-type went off to another alley as the raven haired teen readied his slingshot and aimed at the little Mightyena. Confident that his aim was good enough, Red then let out a shot, hitting the Dark-type right in its temple which caused it to yelp in pain. "Mightyena, what's wro-" Before he could finish his statement, he got hit in the cheek by a stone which made him turn around only to have one hit him in the eye. "Ahhh! What the hell just hit me?!" He yelled as he dropped to the floor while holding his left eye. Mightyena turned around to see its trainer on the floor until it was interrupted as it got hit in the face again by a pebble.

Red smiled as he got another shot before he looked at Pikachu, motioning for Pikachu to go ahead. "Let's go with the plan, Pikachu." As he said that, the yellow rodent nodded in determination before it sprinted towards right alley. As the Electric-type disappeared from sight, Red felt a disturbing presence which caused him to instinctively turn around to be face to face with a snarling Mightyena. Before the teen could react, the Dark-type lunged at him and bit his left arm, its teeth digging into his flesh and making blood erupt from his arm. Red clenched his teeth in pain before he delivered a strike to its throat which made it lose its hold on his arm before he reeled his feet back and smacked the Pokemon in its face with his bloody arm then thrust his feet into its stomach, knocking it across the alley and into a bunch of trash bins.

Red then dashed further into the alley, readying his slingshot and preparing himself for any surprise attacks around him. The raven haired teen heard a trash bin get knocked over as he saw the Mightyena jumping towards him with its fangs bared. Thinking fast, Red use a nearby trash can cover as a shield to block its attack before he moved to the side and made a counter attack by shooting his slingshot at the Pokemon's eye, slightly impairing its vision. Taking the opportunity and ignoring the pain coursing from his left arm, the teen shot another pebble at Mightyena's leg which caused the Dark-type to limp until it crashed into another pile of trash cans. Despite its impaired vision, it limped through the trash cans while sniffing the air, trying to find the silent trainer. "I get it. Odor Sleuth. That's why it was able to find me." Red thought aloud as he looked around him, noticing a dumpster beside him which made a smirk appear on his face.

"Well, let's give him a scent that he'll never forget." He said, his smile widening as he banged on the dumpster which caught the Mightyena's attention. The Pokemon then charged towards Red who side stepped and jumped on the top of the dumpster, the sounds of impact alerting the Dark-type of way the trainer would be. Instinctively jumping onto the dumpster, Mightyena used its nose, sniffing the scent of blood protruding from the raven haired teen's arm and turning its face towards the silent teen. As it lunged forward towards Red, the scarlet eyed trainer jumped back and opened the door of the dumpster, making the Dark-type fall into the trash. Hearing the thud that signaled the impact between the Pokemon and the trash within the container, the raven haired teen quickly closed the dumpster, putting a crowbar on the switch to hold it still. He then sighed as he was able to rest for a little while before pain coursed through his body, alerting him of the wound that was on his left arm.

The trainer did not have time to bandage his arm as he heard a cry from Pikachu which made him instantly rushed towards the direction of the voice as worry was etched on his face. 'Oh no! Pikachu!' His thoughts were interrupted as he saw Pikachu growling as one of the thugs held it upside down in the air with his grip on its tail. Trying his best to control his rage, Red took out his slingshot and aimed towards the thug's hand before shooting at him, securing the shot as the thug yelled in pain as he loses his grip on the Electric-type as it disappeared and hit him in his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the floor. The other thug tried to help the thug by taking out his Pokeball only for him to fail as Red secured another shot, hitting his hand which made him drop his Pokeball as he yelled while holding his hand.

"What the hell is going on here?" The leader said as he got out of the store, seeing his partner in crime on the ground. Before he could react, he was hit with a bolt of lightning, plummeting him into his partner and sending them onto the floor. As he was about to get up and confront Pikachu, Red secured a shot to his temple, causing him to stagger as he descended to the ground. The raven haired teen was about to get another shot in, he got attacked from behind which knocked him into the street, As he got up, he realized that the thugs' attention were on him as they tried to bash only to fail as he backed away. As he retreated, he heard sounds of growling behind him, turning to see Mightyena as it bared his fangs at him with a feral look in its eyes. It was about the attack the scarlet eyed trainer again before it started to stagger and fall on the ground, knocked out unconscious. Confusion was the expression that Red face took until Pikachu jumped on his shoulder and rubbed its cheeks against him, earning a laugh from the trainer.

Everyone cheered as they ran out of the Pokemart, celebrating their victory and wanting to thank the person that saved, thanking Red for his heroic deeds which shocked the raven haired teen.

'I thought they all hated me.' He thought as some of them cried as they continued to show their gratitude to him and Pikachu, earning a smile and nod from both of them. All the kids started to hug him until one of them pulled on Pikachu's tail, causing it to thrash about and release electricity that lifted Red hair, revealing his crimson red orbs to the people. Everyone stopped as they laid their eyes on the person, their faces contort into expressions of fear, disgust and horror which caused Red to inwardly flinch as he quickly hid his eyes, feeling guilt as he turned his gaze to the floor.

"Isn't that-"

"No! It can't be."

"Mommy, his eyes are red."

I know, sweetie. I know."

"He's the monster that caused the fire couple years ago. The Crimson Menace!"

"Damn monster. Wanna create a second tragedy, huh?"

"Not on our watch! All those lives you took!"

"How do you sleep at night?!"

"Look at his eyes. So disgusting and demonic."

Everyone started making assumptions, ready to attack Red, some throwing thrash and stones at him which made him put Pikachu in his bag as he tried to escape only to be grabbed and thrown back into the center as he continued his assault. Sounds of sirens loudly resonated in the air, causing everyone to stop what they were doing and give their full attention to the police cars as they arrived on the street. As the officials observed the scene, they all saw the three thugs on the ground, the leader trying his best to escape only to be stopped by a Herdier in front of him, staring at him with an intimidating look.

"Damn it!" He said as he was dragged along with his partners into the police car, put into handcuffs as they entered the car. As they made an investigation of the area, one of them spotted Red, walking up to him as the crowd of people made a path for them to the teen. As they got closer, one of them noticed his scarlet eyes hidden underneath his black hair which made their eyes widened as they realized the teen.

"It's you!" He said as he went towards the teen with a sinister look on his face, taking out his baton and a Pokeball from his pocket. "I have been waiting a long time for this." Feeling no more items thrown at him, Red lifted his head and looked around only to see that everyone gazes are directed towards somewhere else, turning his head in the same direction to see an officer coming towards him. Before the teen could react, he felt something connect to his dome which caused him to stagger as he tried to get up, which invited another hit. The other police members watched in glee as their partner smacked the teen ruthlessly.

"What's wrong, Crimson Menace?" He said as he swung the baton, securing a hit on the red-eyed trainer.

"Sorry, forgot you were a mute. Why don't you try sign language?" Two more strikes came after, as Red tries his best to protect Pikachu. The policeman laughed as he ruthlessly and repeated beat the raven haired teen with his baton, laughing as he did so until tears started to erupt out of his eyes. "Do you understand what you have done? The lives you've taken? The pain you've caused? I lost my daughter in that accident! Why would you do such a thing? Why?" The man started to cry as he dropped the baton and fell to his knees, a picture falling out of his shirt pocket as he grasped it to his chest. Seeing this, Red felt nauseous as guilt took control of his stomach region.

"Oh, Nia. You wanted to be a Pokemon Nurse. You were supposed to be a Pokemon Nurse and you got the internship." He sobbed uncontrollably, not caring about the crowd around him that is observing his behavior. Feeling sorry for the man, the raven haired trainer was about to stretch his hand towards the mourning man in front of him only to stop when he saw the man's hateful glare at him. The other officers came on the scene and take away their crying companion, much to Red's relief. 'I couldn't bear to see him like that any longer. I wish I could make amends.'

"C'mon. Fritz. Let's go." One of the officers said as they took him into the vehicle and drove off with the thugs at the back sneering at the raven haired teen. Before he could think anything else, he felt a strike to his head which caused to turn and see other officers and civilians ready to continue the assault on him. Having enough, Pikachu shook itself from Red's clutch and stood in front of everyone with its cheeks flaring with electricity. The black haired teen realized what was happening, going to stop the yellow rodent. "Pikachu, wai-" Before anyone could react, the Electiric-type let out a cry before releasing a blast of electricity, repelling everyone from it and Red. Seeing the opportunity for an escape and not wanting Pikachu to hurt anyone, Red took up the Pokemon and escaped, enduring the electricity it released and running into an alleyway.

As he was about to take a rest behind the trash cans, he heard the barks of the officers' Herdier and Growlithe coming closer. 'Great, things just got worse. They are definitely not gonna listen now, like they were gonna listen in the first place.' Red thought as he sprinted away in a panic and a rush of adrenaline, proceeding to knock every trash bin close to him in an attempt to slow down his pursuers. After a while of running throughout the streets of Viridian City, the raven haired teen found himself at the park, looking around before jumping into the bushes and hiding from the police officers as they passed by the street, not even turning to enter the park.

Red then waited as the commotion subsided, taking off his red jacket and trying his best to make his hair hide his crimson eyes before going to buy food, leaving Pikachu to guard his bag, much to its disappointment. "Don't worry, buddy. I'll be right back. I'm just going to get some food for us, ok?" The raven haired teen said while patting it head, earning a happy squeal from the rodent before it quickly goes back to a pouting expression. He then waved at the Pokemon and smiled before leaving to get the food. As the black haired teen made it to the restaurant, he pointed at what he wanted on the menu, making hand gestures indicating that he wants two of them. As the receptionist went to complete his order, Red heard a conversation between three men, one in a grey suit, the one in the middle in a beige long sleeved shirt and another one in a navy blue jacket.

"You guys know about that new company on the block?"

"They even implemented the Game Corner in Celadon City years ago and it has been doing splendid since it was invented. It's just unfair for other companies."

"I know. Didn't they just started too?"

"Nine years ago is not 'just started', man. However, I understand that it has been such a huge rise to success. Even better than Silph Co."

"Yeah. Silph might have some competition if they're not careful."

"Not so sure about that. I heard a rumor going around about them wanting to make a partnership deal with them."

Before Red could hear anything else, he was called for his order which made him have to go to the receptionist and collect it. He then bowed to the receptionist as thanks and then left the restaurant. As he made his way to the park, he started to gaze in the sky as he thought about the events that happened today. 'Another rough day. Well, it's not a journey without challenges.' He pondered as he noticed the Viridian Hospital across the street, his expression saddened before he hardened it and put on a look of confidence. 'Don't worry, Dad. I will fulfill your last request for you. Count on it.'

After a few minutes of wandering and thinking, Red finally made it back to the park to his place within the trees as he lifted the meals that he bought in his hand. As he returned to his spot, he saw his bag leaning on a tree with Pikachu nowhere in sight. He then checked his bag to see if the yellow rodent is in there only to not see it. Panic now taking over his mind, the silent teen searched around for the Electric-type only to hear snoring sounds from above him. As he looked up, he saw Pikachu within the leaves of the tree, sleeping soundly on one of the branches. Making his way to take down the yellow rodent, Red started to realize the multiple bruises on its body as he put it down next to the food and letting the aroma awaken the slumbering Pokemon. It woke up in a daze before it noticed the food before it, quickly consuming the meal as it happily squealed at the silent trainer.

"Sorry about Devin, Pikachu." Red apologizes as he felt the fur of the Electric-type, causing the Pokemon to shiver at the sound of the name. After they finished their meal, Pikachu jumped onto the raven haired teen as he was nursing his arm and snuggled itself underneath his undershirt which earned a smile from him. When he finished bandaging his hand, he took the yellow rodent from his shirt and cleaned and bandaged the Pokemon up which is much to its delight. "If there was one thing I didn't want you to see is anyone from my past in Pallet Town." He said as he traced its fur while Pikachu looked at him with a questioning expression, curious about what Red meant which made him sigh as he leaned against the tree.

"Devin was born in Alola. He just came to Kanto when there was an exchange program for one of our students, I believe her name was Kim…or something." Red reminisced, stopping as he saw the yellow rodent looked at him with a raised brow. "It's not my fault, Pikachu. That was years ago and I don't really pay attention in school..." He explained, mumbled the last part before clearing his throat and continuing the story. "Anyways, Devin didn't really fit well with us 'Kantonians' that he calls us so he started to think of himself on a pedestal especially since he was a kid from a different region. Honestly, he was a slightly nice dude that just hated the color of my eyes and the sound of my name. You know, classic bully antics. However, he was never like this until **that** happened." Red gulped as he wipe the sweat of his brow, slightly shaking with a look of horror on his face. Concerned, Pikachu nuzzled its cheeks against which gave him a slight shock that knock him out of his daze.

"Thanks bud." He said, his red eyes gleaming from the moonlight, gaining a nod from the Electric-type. He sighed harshly before resuming. "He had a friend that was the complete opposite of him. Her name was Violet. He had a huge crush on her that did not go unnoticed by anyone at the school. Sadly, on the night before our school's prom night, something happened." Red eyes started to widen as he remembered the tragedy, shutting his eyes to push out the memory and the fear he has as his body instinctively started to quiver. Pikachu tried to lightly shock him out of it but he couldn't stop. After a few moments, Red started to inhale and exhale until he calmed down however the shaking didn't stop. "A fire…started that burned down our school years ago…and it took her...it took Violet…I didn't do it…" The raven haired teen hyperventilated, the memories flowing through his head as he grabbed his black locks and hid his face.

"It wasn't me. It wasn't me. It wasn't me. It wasn't me." He repeated as Pikachu started to worry about the teen, giving him a light shock that didn't help with his condition as he continued the sentence. Pikachu then released a stronger bolt of electricity which knocked the boy out of his stupor once again, breathing heavily as he looked at the concerned yellow rodent.

"Thanks…again." He then calm himself down once again and continued.

"Bottom line is: he changed after that, for the worse. His attitude became bad too. He would lash against anybody and he would make sure that he would make my life a living hell. He didn't care. He never cared as long as I'm dead and funny enough, this is not his first time trying to kill me." Red stated which caused the Electric-type face to etch into a worried expression, only to see the scarlet-eyed teen smile at it. "Don't worry. I'm alright. I wouldn't be here if he succeeded." Red said as he patched up the Pokemon, petting it as it made itself more comfortable on his lap. The teen then started to hum a tune which cause Pikachu to instantly relax as it started to close its eyes. As Red finished his tune, he laid down the Electric-type within the makeshift bed of towels and clothes that he made for it before drifting off to sleep himself, having a smile on his face.

"I wish that, for once in my life, that I could ever get the chance to explain myself. And what really happened on that day…" He sleepily said as he started to drift off into the world of slumber, as they sleep under the starry night.

**FINALLY! Freaking Finally! God, did this take a long time to write. I'll say it right now. Screw this chapter! It was one of the hardest chapters that I had to write for various reasons.**

**1.****Because when I first wrote it, I had a massive writer's block that went for days before I could even start it.**

**2.****When I was about to publish the darn thing, my computer updated itself before I could save it. I thought in that case, it would've been autosaved at least but no! Nah! NADA! So I had to start over which was another hassle.**

**3.****So much stuff happened to me all at once when I started rewriting this chapter. My word but who cares. It's done and it's out of my face.**

**Also, when it got deleted, I wrote up some chapters after this one so at least they're fine. Devin gets a slight backstory explanation so I hope you guys like it. Also, can Red get a break? Yes! Yes, he will. Soon, I think. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten Leaf. Her cameo is coming soon. Look out for it. Thanks for your reviews so far and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. Also, give me your reviews on this chapter and the story so far if you have the chance. Enigma out!**


	7. Chapter 6: Trouble in Viridian City

_Drip, drop, drip, drop._

The constant dripping sound resonated through the silent grey room which was barely kept illuminated by a singular cracked and dimming light bulb. Three residents who occupied the room took space at each section of the room, each one having a bed for themselves as they all held different reactions to the situation that they're in. One of them was Reggie, who was a black curly haired man who had grey eyes that always seem to look like a dead fish's, the second was Gregory, who had blonde hair along with blue eyes with face that looks like a teenager and the last one is Vincent, who had green eyes and silver white hair. They all resume silence as the dripping sounds continues its pattern. Slightly disorientated, Reggie sprung up from his bed, prancing around the room which caught the attention of his roommates.

"What's your problem?" Gregory asked, turning his gaze now to his walking accomplice. Reggie stopped, turning to look at his roommate before continuing to pace around. "Am I the only pissed at this?" He angrily asked, not ceasing his strutting. Gregory and Vincent both watch him with bewildered expressions on their faces as they raise their brows.

"At what?" The blonde questioned with a mono tone that shows his boredom. Reggie turned to look at him with a surprised look as he walked up to his roommate.

"At what?! Dude, the police were lucky they got us!"

"You're right about that. How did they even know where we were? They were on the other side of town when we checked." Gregory stated as he put his hand on his chin as he sat up from his bed.

"It was that kid with the Pikachu. He must've gotten to them somehow." As he heard that, Vincent clenched his fists as he recalled the events earlier with a certain teenager that got him and his accomplices arrested.

"Yeah! He took us apart, one by one. Damn that kid!" Reggie cursed as he punched the wall, the result being a sound that echoed through the entire cell.

Despite being furious, Vincent tried his best to keep quiet and stay calm as he listened intently to the conversation, seeing where it will lead. As the men chatted on, the silver haired man until he heard something interesting, turning his gaze towards his roommates.

"How about we put the kid down a peg?" Gregory mentioned, sitting down on his bunker cross-legged, which made Reggie roommate raise a brow and Vincent to look at him with a curious expression.

"The kid ruined for us a good opportunity not only financially but also job wise. If the heist went perfectly, we would've been able to get out of Viridian with hardly any problem. Right, V?" He said, to which Vincent absentmindedly nodded to.

"So we're gonna get revenge, Reggie. For what he did. Hell, the kid might have some valuables on him, you never know." Gregory said, silently chuckling at the last part.

"But how are we gonna do that, G? We're still in jail." Reggie stated which suddenly a loud clap echoed through the room, making the two men turn their heads towards Vincent. Having a wide sinister grin on his face, the silver haired man motioned his roommates to come closer. When they were close, he uttered just a few words which upon hearing, made both of them mimic his facial expression before he continued.

"I have a plan."

Red woke up in a cold sweat to see a bundle of leaves on his face, some going into his mouth. He brushed them off his face, spitting some of them as he got up to see that he was still in the park. 'Another good dream, huh? Could do without the scare in the end.' He thought, taking out leaves out of his black hair as he got up, getting himself ready.

"I really need to take a bath." He commented after smelling himself. Red then searched around for Pikachu, finding it sleeping on the branches of one of the trees. The teen tried to call it and wake it up only to be rewarded with failure as the rodent continue its slumber. 'Oh boy. Here we go. Keep forgetting she's a heavy sleeper.' He thought aloud with a slightly annoyed expression as he watched the Pokemon sleeping soundly. After a few moments of thinking, he went into his bag and took out a granola bar before waving it in the air then taking small bites of it, trying to get its attention. It worked as it ears started to perk up as it got up and looked at the ground, seeing the granola as Red started to pour out Pokefood within a bowl. It quickly disappeared from the branch, appearing before the food before it hungrily scarfed it down, enjoying it as it makes squeaks of content. After they finished eating, both of them got themselves ready to go before they carefully surveyed the park, looking for any police officers around the area. Seeing that the coast is clear, they quickly journeyed out of the park, ready to leave Viridian City.

'The city is nice and all but too many bad memories. Plus, they don't have Pokeballs. And who knows how long that the Pokemart will take to open back again after that incident. I need to go to Pewter City to get some.' He thought as he made his way towards the direction of Route 2.

As he roamed through the city, he passed the Viridian Hospital which he found himself gazing at with a melancholic expression which confused Pikachu as it tried to get his attention by patting his face only to fail. It then released a surge of electricity at him, electrocuting the teen and knocking Red out of his daze as he glared at the rodent, his black hair becoming spiky due to the attack. Seeing the teen's hair in the ridiculous, the Electric type snickered before it fell on the floor, erupting in laughter as it rolled along the pavement.

"Not…funny." He said intensifying his glare before chasing the rodent who nimbly got away from him. After a few minutes, Red finally caught Pikachu, beginning to tickle the little mouse until it was breathing heavily. The raven haired teen then looked around, realizing that he was at the exit gate of the city, making him smile as he took one final look at the city and the hospital. As he turned around, Pikachu went along his shoulder as he made his way to Route 2 as he made his final thought. 'Dad, I'm ok. I w-' His thought was interrupted by an explosion that shook the entire city.

Red turned around, glancing around to see smoke, his eyes widening as he saw the direction from which it is coming from.

"Isn't that where the park is?" He asked to no one, seeing Pikachu nod as his answer. Before he could think or do anything else, another explosion occurred near him and Pikachu which send the both of them flying into the air from the immense shockwave. Red instinctively protected the yellow rodent as he took the brunt of the fall as he harshly collided with the ground which knocked the wind out of him.

'Ouch! That hurts. I think I broke something.' He thought, trying to get up which prove to be slightly difficult. As the raven haired teen stood up and gain his balance, he saw several people hurt, some trapped under rubble and others who were motionless on the ground, much to his horror. He then quickly covered Pikachu's eyes, not wanting it to see the horrific scene that's happening before them. Before he could walk ahead, he got hit to his back by an attack that knock him face first to the floor which caused him to drop the yellow mouse. The rodent quickly stood up with its cheeks flaring with electricity, ready for a fight. Red's eyes darted around the area as he struggled to stand, searching for anything that moves. He then noticed a silhouette walking towards them, juggling a Pokeball in the air. A man came out before them, his silver hair glowing in the morning glow as he looked around, admiring the destruction and chaos, before landing his gaze in the teen's direction.

'Who is that guy?' The boy thought with a confused look on his face as the man glared at the boy with hatred in his green eyes. Realizing the reason for their bewildered expressions, Vincent started laughing as he walked around the teen as he stopped and spoke. "Oh yeah. I forgot. You have never seen me like this before." As he finished his statement, he then went into his pocket, searching for something until he picked something out of his pocket.

"Maybe this will jog your memory." He said as he took out a mask and wore it on his face, making Red and Pikachu stared at him wide eyed as they started to realize the mask and thus the person who was wearing it. Vincent started to laugh maniacally as he took off his mask and put it back into his pockets as he spewed words at the teen. "Remember me now, you damn twerp!" Fuming in anger, the silver haired man's grip on his Pokeball tightened as he looked at Red before pointing at him.

"You owe me, kid." He said in a low tone which caused Pikachu to look at him in confusion. Red, however, kept a calm composure as he resume his glare at the man, not showing any signs of bewilderment and fear, much to the annoyance of Vincent. The thug started grinding his teeth as he realized that intimidating the teen would prove to be futile as the raven haired boy just continued to stare at him with a blank expression. Vincent started getting more irritated and unnerved as he glanced into the scarlet eyes of Red that looked like they're peering into his soul which started to unnerve him.

'Those damn eyes. They're mocking me.' The thug thought as he got angrier, his eye twitching as he started to shout at the raven haired teen.

"You owe me a beatdown! And I'm here to collect what I'm owed!" Vincent yelled in frustration and anger as veins started to appear on his forehead.

"…" Red remained quiet as he kept a calm composure, waiting for a moment to catch his opponent off guard.

"What's wrong, pipsqueak? Got nothing to say?"

"…"

"I'm gonna rip you apart! You hear me!?"

"…"

Feeling more anger as the teen still put up his poker face, Vincent then clenched his Pokeball to the point of it looking like it'll break before throwing it hard into the air. As the ball went into the air, it released a Pokemon covered in red clad armor with small wings with pincers that seems to have eyes.

"Zorr!" The Pokemon yelled, hitting its pincers together before taking a battle stance. The teen look in surprise as Scizor leered at the yellow rodent with an intimidating glint in its eyes. 'If I remember correctly, that's a Scizor. I remember one of my dad's coworkers having one to help her in the mines.' He then gritted his teeth, realizing that this will not be an easy fight before he hardened his expression. Pikachu was unnerved until it looked back at Red who seemed indifferent and unnerved about the Pokemon in front of him which grant it a bit of courage as it looked at its opponent with an upsurge of confidence. After a long intense staredown, Vincent was overcome by his impatience as he decided to go first. "Scizor, Bullet Punch!"

Before Red could react, Scizor immediately dashed towards Pikachu, jabbing it repeatedly with its pincers before slamming it on the ground. As the dust cleared, Pikachu getting up off the ground before shaking the dust and dirt off its fur, squeaking loudly to say it's ok. The raven haired teen smirked before returning to a hardened expression.

"Pikachu, Nuzzle." He silently commanded. The rodent nodded before dashing towards Scizor, rewarded with failure the Bug-type sidestepped before the Electric-type could jump towards it. Witnessing this, a smirk quickly appeared on Vincent's face as he let out a command. "Good, Scizor. Now, use Brutal Swing."

"Use Double Team then use Thunderbolt." Red quickly stated before the Pokemon could attack. Pikachu obliged, creating multiple copies of itself that all vanished as soon as Scizor started to savagely swinging its pincers at them, missing the original who nimbly dodged the attack. As the Bug and Steel type repositioned itself for another attack, the yellow rodent quickly released a bolt of lightning which electrified it which put it on its knees. "Quick Attack." Red commanded quietly. Pikachu then dash in a burst of speed, hitting the Pincer Pokemon square in the chest which the impact knocked it on its back. Pikachu then retreated to its initial position to avoid any sneak attacks from its foe.

"Scizor, get up!" The silver haired thug yelled, frustrated that he is experiencing a difficult battle with his young opponent. He then watch as his Scizor slowly get up only to get hit with a Thunderbolt from Pikachu which knocked it back onto the ground again.

'This is bullshit! Scizor is one of my strongest Pokemon in my team. That rat should be down the moment it took Scizor's first attack. This kid should be daring me to attack. He should not be this experienced.' Vincent thought angrily, gritting his teeth as he glared at the teen. Scizor slowly lifted itself from the ground, brushing itself off before initiating a fighting stance. Grinning, the silver haired man then laughed before he ordered his Pokemon with malice in his voice. "Scizor, now use Bullet Punch!"

"Use Quick Attack to dodge." Red hurriedly intervened. Scizor vanished in a flash before reappearing behind Pikachu who ran into a burst of speed to nimbly dodge its swift punches. "Use Thunderbolt when it is finished." The raven haired teen silently commanded. As the Pokemon got exhausted and its barrage of strikes subsided, the yellow rodent let out a cry before discharging a bolt of lightning that collided with Scizor which made it scream in pain as it descends to the floor, barely standing as it held itself up with one claw on the floor.

"No! Scizor, c'mon. Brutal Swing! Don't let some rat beat you!" Vincent said, clenching his fists in irritation. With his rage increasing as the battle resumes, veins start to appear on his forehead as his opponent is proving to be more than a match against him.

'Why is this kid such a pain in the ass?' The man thought before noticing that his partner once again was knocked to the floor which made him more irritated, yelling to the top of his lungs as he started to grabbing his hair and harshly pulling on it. "What the hell?!"

"Pikachu, close the distance with Quick Attack and then use Nuzzle." He barely heard Red mutter. Before he could give a command, Pikachu suddenly appeared in front of his Scizor and spedily maneuvered behind it and rubbed its cheeks against its back which caused a mild shock. As the rodent retreated, Scizor let out a flurry of strikes, trying its best to hit the mouse, rewarded with a few hits before the Electric-type escaped back to its side of the street.

"Scizor, Bullet Punch then continue Brutal Swing!" Vincent loudly commanded, wrath oozing from his tongue as he mouthed every word. Obeying its master's order, Scizor moved in a flash before appearing in front of Pikachu, landing a powerful strike on the rodent before it suddenly stopped.

"What the hell?" Vincent muttered, confused at the sudden behavior of his Pokemon. Red, however, knew what it was and took the opportunity and command with a smirk on his face. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt with all your power." Pikachu yelled, letting out a fierce bolt of lightning that hit Scizor, knocking it onto the floor.

"Keep using Thnuderbolt." Red commanded with confidence present in his voice. Pikachu nodded before striking Scizor repeatedly and relentlessly with bolts of lightning. Scizor tried to evade and escape the electric assault but was rewarded with failure as it was too hurt and paralyzed to move. A few moments later, the Bug-type lost its consciousness before it fell to the ground, its crimson body still as it was unable to move. Seeing its opponent stagnant and unconscious on the floor, Pikachu made a victory pose before collapsing from exhaustion afterwards. Vincent stood still, unable to process the events that just occurred as he watched at the scene in front of him with a dumbfounded expression almost as if it was a bad nightmare.

"I-Impossible…" The man silently stuttered as he fell to his knees, his gaze descending to the ground and his mind blocking all noise as Red ran towards Pikachu and lifted it from the ground before he hugged the Pokemon. The raven haired teen and his Pokemon then happily celebrated their victory in the background as the rodent weakly nuzzled against him. As this was happening, Vincent started to lift his gaze, staring at his unconscious Pokemon before he turned his gaze at the individuals who have caused his defeat who were hugging each other and laughing heartily.

"You did it, Pikachu!" Red said in excitement, smiling proudly at Pikachu who weakly made a thumbs up.

"Thanks, bud. You did a good job. Time to rest." The teen calmly said, putting the exhausted yellow rodent in his bag to rest before looking at the criminal before he stood up and stealthily went around the silver haired thug, watching him as he readied his slingshot. Filled with anger and frustration, Vincent clenched his fists, drawing blood as he glared at the teen with hatred in his green eyes.

"Damn you, kid!" He shouted, causing Red to flinch inwardly at the tone of his voice.

"Seriously, kid. Fuck you! You ruined everything since you arrived here! You messed up everything that we worked up to get all went crashing down! We were about to get out of this wretched city! Go for better heists and rob more places as we go but no! You had to go and play hero!" Vincent yelled with malice dripping from his tone which caused the teen to inwardly tremble. He started to growl at Red as he continued. "Why couldn't be like any dumb child and mind your fucking business?! Huh?!"

Hardening his expression, Red stood silent then aiming his slingshot at the thug as he stated to him in a low tone. "Sorry. You hurt people. I can't allow you to do that."

Suddenly, Red was frozen still, feeling intense pain surging and coursing throughout his body. He couldn't even open his mouth to shout or yell in pain. He was barely able to turn his head as he looked down to see a purple snake with its fang sunken in his left leg.

'Wha-' Red thought before suddenly becoming light headed, staggering in his step as he tried with all his might to keep his balance. Confused by the teen's wobbly posture, Vincent's eyes lay on the Pokemon hanging on Red's leg which caused a sinister smile to appear on the silver haired man's face. Grinning madly, the thug returned his Scizor before walking over towards Red who couldn't look into his face due to his sudden condition.

"I'm gonna enjoy this." Vincent said before punching the raven haired teen in his face which caused the boy to spit blood. The silver haired man resumed, pummeling the boy until he collapsed to the floor which knocked Pikachu, who was still unconscious, out of his bag. Realizing this, Red acted on adrenaline which made him barely able to move his hand towards his friend before a foot descended on his hand. The raven haired teen clenched his teeth as he had no choice but to endure the pain as Vincent stomped on his hand, holding it in place. Barely able to glare up at his attacker, the teen could see the silver haired man smirking evilly at him before turning his gaze to Pikachu, looking at it with a curious expression on his face.

"You know, I just realized that you never return that rat to its ball, even when it's badly hurt. You're a bad trainer, kid." He said as he walked towards the Pokemon, kicking the mouse Pokemon as he got near it which caused Red's eyes to widen at the scene he saw before him. 'Pikachu!'

He could barely move his mouth as he desperately tried his best to force every muscle in his body and help his friend who was getting brutally kicked around by Vincent. 'Move, Red! C'mon, Red! Move! Move, body! Get your butt off the damn ground and help your friend!' He mentally shouted at himself as he gritted his teeth, veins showing on his body showing the conflict that he's having to move his stubbornly stagnant body from the ground. Red could only watch as Pikachu gets brutally kicked around, hearing its cries of pain as it endures the strikes. 'C'mon, Red! She needs you!' The teen yelled at himself in his mind again, trying to move his body and fight off the poison that coursed through his body and paralyzed him only to be rewarded with failure as he had no choice but to witness the scene before him.

After the thug finished his violent assault on the yellow rodent, he then strolled back to Red with a grin on his face. Vincent then grabbed the teen by the hair, lifting him to eye level, laughing madly as he did so. Before Red could react, the thug kicked the teen in the stomach, continuing his assault with a few more kicks before he finished by ramming his knee into Red's face which caused an impact that echoed through the street. Vincent dropped the paralyzed teen on the floor, barely having consciousness. He then grabbed Red's backpack, taking out any valuables that the teen had in it which consists of Potions and Revives before he had come to a realization as he looked at the kid.

"I was wondering how strange it was that you never returned or used a Pokeball on the rat over there. I don't see any Pokeballs on you. It's either your Pokemon hates a Pokeball or... I wonder…" He trailed off before walking to Pikachu and taking out a Pokeball from his pocket which made Red's eyes widen in shock. Realizing what Vincent was about to do, the raven haired teen clenched his teeth as he tried to command every muscle in his body to move and stop the man.

'Come on. Move.' He thought, desperately trying to gain mobility but the result was the opposite. Vincent then threw the Pokeball at Pikachu which the device absorbed the rodent in an intense red light before falling on the ground. Time slowed down for Red as he helplessly watched the ball shake momentarily, praying that it breaks out.

One shake. Second shake. Third shake.

Red's heart broke as the ball made a clicking sound which indicated that the Pokemon has been captured.

"No." Red uttered in complete shock, unable to move or think as all he could do was stare at the Pokeball on the ground. His heart fell as he saw Vincent pick up the red sphere as he looked at it with delight as he started chuckling. The silver haired man's chuckling got louder before it started to grow into pure laughter as he spun the ball on his finger. Red's mouth hanged open, his face contorted to a look of full horror and his breathing starting to become erratic as he gazed at the spot where his friend once lay.

"N-no." He stuttered breathlessly. 'This can't be happening. This can't be real. I know. This is all just a terrible nightmare.' The teen thought, forcing his eyes close.

'I just need to wake up.' Red then opened his eyes to the same thing which made him sweat furiously. Feeling desperate, he repeated the same method but nothing changed. He was still on the floor, in unending pain as his friend and partner was taken from him. As reality started to hit him, Red started to drown all sound around him as his mind repeatedly play the scene of his friend's capture which broke him mentally the more the scene replays.

"I caught a Pokemon!" Vincent exclaimed gleefully, knocking Red out of his stupor as the teen saw the man lifted the Pokeball in the air with a massive grin on his face before he started to laugh.

"Isn't that what you brats say when you catch a Pokemon now? You make a little spin and raise the ball in the sky." The thug mocked, spinning the ball on his finger. Red couldn't answer and even if he could, he was still in complete shock at the events that occurred earlier, much to Vincent's amusement.

"I like that expression, kid. It fits you." He said, walking up to the teen and putting his foot on the teen's head.

"That's how we felt when you interrupted our business. You made the police catch us, you messed up our good streak and humiliated us, even beat me in a battle but not anymore. Your life ends today, kid." Vincent said, kicking Red several times, leaving him with a bloody nose. After he finished his physical assault, he then took out a blue Pokeball with red colorings on it before taking out his mask from his pocket and putting it on. As he donned the mask, Vincent then threw the ball in the air which released a purple ball that had poisonous gas that is surrounding it, having a menacing look on its face as it gazed down at Red.

"Meet my friend here, Koffing. The gases he lets out is deadly. You have no idea how much people this guy has killed." The silver haired man explained, looking at his Koffing who smiled evilly as it started to laugh. He then motioned the snake Pokemon towards him which it obliged and went to his side.

"Ekans here is my comrade's Pokemon. As you have seen, he is very friendly and tends to play rough with people. Sorry about that. We'll check on him next time so he doesn't go out of line." The man said with a wide grin on his face as he watched the nearly unconscious teen on the ground. Sirens started to resonate in the air, making Vincent click his tongue in disappointment as he turned around and looked at the floating Poison-type who was also alerted by the sound.

"Koffing, Smog then Selfdestruct." The silver haired thug said in an uncaring tone to which the Pokemon obeyed. It started releasing a cloud of poisonous gas that started to cover the area, causing Red to cough and wheeze profusely as he inhaled the toxic fumes.

"Nice to kill you, kid. Adios." Vincent said as the teen coughing became worse as he inhaled more of the gas, trying to speak only to be rewarded with silence leaving his mouth. 'Come…back…' Red thought as he continued wheezing as he tried to move once more only to be given the same result. As seconds pass by, his red eyes start to close, his energy starts receding and his body starts to go limp.

'Give me a break. I lost my father's cap and I lost my friend. I am all alone again. I couldn't even get to go past this damn city.' Red thought furiously as his half opened eyes starts to send their gaze on the floor. Tears started to trace down his face, hitting the concrete floor as he continued to cough, unable to move from his spot.

'Is my sole purpose in this world to suffer? Is it? Is my life just some joke for people to laugh at?' He tried to chuckle but unable to due to being paralyzed due to the poison. Red's eyes slowly started to close again as his consciousness started to depart from him as thoughts of his life went through his mind.

'Pikachu... I'm... so sorry. I'm so... so sorry...' He said as his eyes closed, leaving only darkness.

**Whew! Another chapter finished! Another one on the way very soon. I'm prepared *shows armor* for any pitchforks, knives and everything coming at me. My body is ready…or should I say I'm fully prepared. I don't know. I hope you like the chapter and the plot twist. God, Red can't get a break, can't he? Thank you guys for stopping to read my story, I really appreciate it. Enigma out!**


	8. Chapter 7: Cleaved

Darkness reigned the realm as nothing could be seen. No sound could be heard within the dimension as a boy with a pair of red eyes was on the pitch black floor in a sprawled out position on his face. Red stayed still before he tried to move his body only to be rewarded with failure which made him chuckle to himself when his thoughts start to arise. 'Every time.' His thoughts echoed with the realm as each word grew more in volume, showing his bottled rage in his voice.

'Every time.' He mentally said to no one as the realms echoes his thoughts to the open.

'Every single time.'

'Why does this happen to me?!' He mentally shouted to no one in particular, receiving no reply or answer. Hours pass within the realm, making the teen lose his sanity as he was glued on the ground. Seconds felt like an eternity before Red's eyes started to scan the area only to be met with pure darkness before he suddenly noticed a small ray of light that started to blink within the realm, growing stronger the more it flashes. Before the teen realized it, the shadows started to dissipate from the light as the realm started to get brighter. Red had to close his eyes as the entire realm was enveloped by a powerful white light, leaving him blind as he once again started to lose his consciousness.

Red could barely feel something rubbing on his face which made him slightly open his eye with his remaining strength.

Slowly opening his eyes and regaining his consciousness, Red was immediately reintroduced to the intense pain that was coursing through his body, causing him to mentally scream and shift in his position which resulted in a quiet growl and a slight shift of his body.

'Well, at least it's progress.' The teen commented before sighing as he tried his best to move his face and eyes to scan the area, seeing the destruction and demolition that was brought upon the district. As he continued scanning, he then noticed something blue and black within his peripheral vision. Trying his best to move, Red barely shifted in his position which caused the creature to be awoken as it turned its face to him. The teen's eyes went wide as he recognized the Pokemon which he tried his best to mouth his words which barely left his mouth as a whisper.

"Shinx."

After he barely uttered the Electric-type, it nodded before it started to rub its face against him.

'I'm glad you're alright.' Red thought, trying his best to form a smile which half succeeded as he felt the Pokemon nuzzling him.

"You…need…to…go…" The raven haired teen muttered to the best of his ability, making Shinx look at him in horror before it yelped to protest and sat down next to the trainer, refusing to leave the heavily injured teen.

'Sorry, Shinx. I am beyond saving, I can't move inside my bag to get the medicine and I can even tell you where it is.' Red thought before he felt his energy fading, his eyes closing once again as he tried his best to keep them open. As he tried his best to fight in order to stay conscious, he could barely hear shuffling behind him which startled the red eyed youth.

'What the?' Red thought in worry for Shinx's wellbeing before feeling some form of liquid entered his mouth, causing him to accidentally swallow it out of shock which made the teen started to cough. When he finished coughing, he looked around, seeing Shinx with a vial of orange liquid between its paws and a wide smile across its face.

"What the?" He stated before he realized that he was slowly gaining back his control over his body as he was able to barely get off the ground, causing Shinx to jump up and down excitedly at the teen's regained mobility.

'I'm able to move. These things work quicker than I thought.' He thought in shock, looking at his hand and balling it into a fist multiple times to test how fast his body is moving currently. 'I'm not fully back but it's at least something.'

Baffled by the sudden change in his condition, he turned again to glance at Shinx's direction with a smile on his face before he picked up the vial that was within the Electric-type, reading the contents on the bottle.

'Wait. It's one of my emergency Full Restore. Guess he didn't take out everything out of my bag. Talk about luck.' The teen realized, petting Shinx which caused it to squeal happily before he tried his best to move towards to his backpack, falling immediately but was able to slowly break his fall. After he got back his breath, he then successfully reached for his bag as he examined the contents and items within it. As he searched his bag, he realized that a good amount of his items were ransacked as he started to count the amount of things in his bag. 'I have a few of my emergency medicine left. Hopefully, it can bring me to Pewter City. At least he didn't steal my Berries. Had to go through a lot to get those.'

"Thanks…for that…" Red barely uttered, locking his bag and slung it over his shoulder as he patted the Electric-type as best as he could which earned a happy roar from Shinx. When he finished, he looked at the empty vial with a confused expression on his face as a question appeared in his mind.

"How did you know this was the right one?" He thought aloud silently, turning to the Pokemon who walked up to him and then nuzzled his leg which put a smile on the teen's face. After gaining more mobility, Red, now equipped with his cap, tried to push himself off the floor which he struggled to do so as he staggered back and forth until after a few minutes until he was able to stand upright with some help from Shinx and the wall. As he wandered through the destroyed streets, he realized that the city was empty, quiet as there is not a single sign of anyone.

"Where is everyone? Hope they're ok." Red said quietly, looking around curiously as he was able to gain enough strength to limp without support. Shinx, who was walking beside him, was searching the area until it noticed something, immediately running towards a pile of rubble and calling out to the teen, who quickly followed it. It pointed to the pile of rubble, scratching it until Red tried his best to lift up the rocks which was difficult due to him not being fully recovered from the poison. As he moved most of the rubble out of the way, his eyes widen when he saw the old man and a young woman under it, both covered with scratches and bruises. Noticing him, the old man smiled weakly at the teen while the woman's face hardened, looking at Red suspiciously which caused him to use his cap to cover his face.

'It's the old man from yesterday.' The scarlet eyed teen thought as he assisted them out of the debris. After they were out, the woman grabbed the old man, dragging him away from Red which resulted with him pulling his hand away from her, walking towards the teen.

"Grandpa, he's a murderer! Get away from him!" she said, causing Red to flinch at what she called him. Noticing this, the elderly man turned to his granddaughter, sighing as he turned around and made his way to the red capped teen.

"Thanks, boy. You saved me and my granddaughter's lives and for that, I give you my gratitude." The old man thanked the teen, holding out his hand for a shake. Red was about to shake his hand until he suddenly sensed something ominous in the air, pushing the old man towards the woman who quickly caught him. Witnessing this, the granddaughter was about to scold the boy until a huge bomb of acid was blasted at the spot that the man was initially, surprising the three of them.

"Run away, now!" Red shouted with as much effort as he could, motioning for them to go away. Suddenly, his vision was crippled as the smokescreen quickly started to envelop the area around him, making him lose sight of Shinx who was right beside him, alerting him of its presence by wrapping its tail around his leg. Realizing that the Pokemon is alright, Red started to run in the other direction away from the two civilians with the Electric type closely behind him. He then ran through the streets and alleyways of the city until he reached a clearing where he stopped there, searching for anything that moves. He then spotted a huge ball of gas coming towards them before disappearing in an alleyway, much to Red's confusion as he recollected his thoughts from his previous confrontation.

"Wait! Didn't that thing blew up the last time I saw it?! Like seriously how?! Unless it got a Revive or something or that's straight up another Koffing? I call hacks!" Red stated annoyingly as the Pokemon reappeared from an alleyway which the teen responded by quickly taking out his slingshot and securing a shot to the Pokemon face, causing the Pokemon to cry in pain before it fazed back into the purple smoke.

"Shinx, stay close, alright?" He commanded to which it obliged. The red capped teen then went reloaded his pockets with as much ammo as he could find, preparing himself for any attacks.

"Shinx, if you can hear or see that Koffing, just yell, ok?" Red ordered softly to which the Pokemon nodded, searching for any signs of the Poison type. It barked once in a certain direction, making Red immediately turn and shoot in that direction. He didn't hear any sounds which means he missed the shot, making him clicked his teeth in annoyance. Immediately after his missed shot, a ball of sludge was hurled towards the two, both of them dodging it in time as they watch it dissolve into the ground, making a sizzling sound. After a few attempts in the smoke, the duo was started to get better at pinpointing their assailant and dodging incoming attacks before he successfully got a shot which made the Koffing groan in pain. "Now, Shinx. Tackle." As soon as he heard its groan, he ordered Shinx to attack, which it did, tackling the Pokemon onto the ground.

Hearing the result, Red went through the poison cloud, covering his mouth with this jacket as he ran towards the source. As he reached the Pokemon, he started to relentlessly hitting the Koffing along with Shinx until it was almost unconscious. As it fainted, it started to glow, causing the duo to stop their attacks, looking at the Pokemon in confusion. The glow got stronger which then made the red capped teen's eyes widen as he realize what it was doing.

"Oh no." Red muttered, grabbing Shinx and sprinting away from the creature, who glowed stronger as the fumes started to envelop it. The teen jumped behind a car as the Koffing exploded which engulfed the area in a purple smoke and poisonous gas cloud, causing the ground to shake roughly from the result of the shockwave.

As the smoke cleared, everything was demolished by the powerful attack that was unleashed. Red opened his eyes to see the results of the explosion, his expression changing to shock and horror as he witnessed the damage done by the attack.

'Woah.' He thought as he looked at the craters and beoken walls and buildings around him before he started to wander through the eerie silence of the destroyed street with Shinx in his arms who decided to climb onto his shoulder. The teen searched the area for the source of the attack, covering his mouth along with the Electric type so that they don't inhale too much of the poisonous gases. After the red capped teen reached at the end of the street, he found a big crater which had an unconscious Koffing laying in it.

'Man. It did a number on the street. Man, I'm glad that it's down for the count.' He thought, looking at the Poison type with a hardened expression before he went off to the direction of the park, wanting to avoid the toxic fumes. Suddenly, they noticed it glowed with an intense red light, startling Red and Shinx as the teen tried to wonder what's happening with the Pokemon before his eyes widened.

'Wait, it's returning to its trainer meaning that I can find the thug who took Pikachu away and get her back.' As he thought that statement, the red light then retreating into the city to which they quickly followed it, trying their best not to lose sight of the red light.

"Keep an eye out, Shinx." The teen said to the Pokemon while chasing after the glow throughout the city. After a few minutes of pursuing the light, Red pursued it until he reached outside the city, watching the light be absorbed into a Pokeball. Vincent put the ball into its inactive mode before he put in his pocket, smirking as he threw various bags of items on the back of the truck. As he did, he noticed the red capped teen in front of him causing his eyes to widen in surprise. "Impossible… This can't be…" he muttered as he glared in shock at the scarlet eyed boy.

"You!" Red shouted, pointing at the silver haired thug as he was trying to catch his breath after the long chase.

"Give back Pikachu." He said in a lower tone, glaring at the silver haired man and his accomplices as one of them watches the teen with eyes of disbelief.

"V, I thought you took care of the brat!" said Reggie who was in a van, getting it ready with Gregory in shotgun seat. Fueled with rage and adrenaline rushing through his veins, Red ran towards them before colliding into something which got him confused as he saw nothing in his line of sight. The red capped teen went again but only got the same result as he once again crashed into something, with Shinx experiencing the same conclusion. They both then let out their hands only to touch a transparent wall before them which they try to find an exit or a weakening in the barrier, only to be rewarded nothing as they heard Vincent's laughter.

"Sorry, kid. I like this Pokemon. I think I'm gonna keep it." The silver haired man said, grinning as he got unto the van. Red started to bang his fist harshly onto the invisible wall, trying to get to the band of thieves before they leave. The sounds of siren were getting closer, making the man clicked his teeth as he had to retreat, jumping on the back of the vehicle and stating for his accomplices to leave now. Noticing this, Red tried harder as he let out all his might to push whatever was blocking him, along with Shinx's assistance. Unfortunately, the van drove off, with Vincent's laughter echoed through the area as a Pokemon revealed itself by his side with a smile on its face.

"No. Get back here. Come back!" Red yelled desperately, punching, scratching and banging the wall with his head, along with Shinx trying to break through the invisible barrier. Hearing the engine of the car started as they began to drive off, Red could only watch with his eyes getting wet as the mancontinued to laugh at the young teen's failed attempts.

"Sorry for the short convo but we have to be going. Look at the bright side, kid. You lived to see another day. Don't worry, I'll take real good care of the rat for you." Vincent said as they started to disappear into the distance, leaving only the duo.

"No…" Red said before falling on his knees and looking at the ground, stretching his arm out in the direction off to the runaway vehicle. He started to shake as he just blankly look out to the distance, his heart cracking as time goes on.

"I failed…her I failed her." He said in a shaky tone. His gaze now descending to the ground as its his main focus now.

Tears build in his eyes as he gritted his teeth in frustration, clenching his fist angrily as he continuously punching the ground, ignoring the bruises that he's giving himself as he does so. Shinx looked at the teen in concern, walking up to him and then snuggling against him which the teen ignored. As the Electric type continued nuzzling and cuddling him which caused Red to pause and look at it, sighing shakily as he massaging its fur.

"Thanks, Shinx." He said before hugging it, sobbing softly as he looked back in the direction the men have escaped and the thoughts of his partner with them. The thought made the teen sick as he let go of Shinx and had to vomit by the nearby bushes, finished after a minute as he rubbed his aarm acorss his face.

'I'm so sorry, Pikachu.' Red thought as he panted, continuing to cry as reality hit him for the second time. 'You helped me but I couldn't help you.' He resumed, staying on the road as the sirens gets louder and louder.

* * *

In the deep of the forest stood three men, on the back of a van conversing with each other in the quietude of nature with all of them grinning happily as one of them made a statement. "We're finally out of that damn city. Thought it would never happen."

They continued celebrating until they heard a clapping sound that startled them, looking around them to see nothing, Pokeballs ready in hand.

"Amazing. Truly amazing. That was a great display." Someone said from within the shadows. The figure slowly approached the men, the sun revealing a man dressed in black as he wore a sinister smile on his hooded face.

"Gotta say, I love what you did with the city." He continued before stopping a few feet from the van. The men stood up and walked to him, examining him as they got closer with Vincent standing in front of the man.

"Who are you?" The silver haired man asked the man threateningly, looking the man dead in the eyes as he questioned him. His two accomplices in the back readied themselves in the case of a battle. The figure then lifted his arms, not taking his eyes off Vincent as he stated. "Don't worry. I'm not here to fight. I'm simply here to scout for people with talents and you guys fit the bill." He then extended his arm to the silver haired man before he said something from his mouth that made the men's eyes widen in shock as they left his mouth.

"Would you like to join Team Rocket?"

* * *

After a few minutes of crying, Red stopped sobbing as he gazed at the distance, his cap covering his eyes as the morning breeze gently blows through the road. He still didn't want to believe it, blinking his eyes and pinching himself to see if he could wake up but his partner and friend is gone and there is nothing he could do. He then stood up and remained there for minutes with his thoughts stuck to the events that occurred until a voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Red?" He turned towards the direction of the sound but when he did, his red eyes widen as he saw the owner of the voice.

'Yellow?'

**Sup there, guys. I wonder how you guys felt about the last chapter. Trust me, that was not the spur of the moment, that idea has been there since the start of this project. Also, yes. Shinx is back. Once again, thanks for taking your time to read my story and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. The next chapter will be coming out very soon. Either later today or tomorrow. Well, see ya. Enigma out!**


	9. Chapter 8: A Silent Vow

'Yellow?'

Red stared in shock towards the individual that was in front, who was a blond girl who stared at him in disbelief as she put her hands to her face before she asked. "Red? Is that you?"

When she asked her question, the scarlet eyed teen responded with a quick nod, using his cap to cover his eyes. After looking up and down at Red, Yellow then noticed Shinx who was in a battle position with its tail around the teen's foot, much to her surprise. Red wanted anywhere but where he is at right now, ready to run for it at any given chance.

"You got yourself a Pokemon?" She said dumbfounded which he nodded again. The blonde looked at him before she changed her face into a hardened expression on her face, about to say something until a voice called for her, startling both her and Red. She turned to see Blue running towards her, his face smirking at her before he noticed the new member on the route, his eyes widening in complete shock as he scrunched his face in frustration. "No way…" he muttered, gazing at Red who still has not lifted his face from the ground as he wants nothing more than to be done with this. The spiky haired teen then gritted his teeth in anger, glaring furiously at Red, who stood still, not daring to move.

"HOW?!" He yelled to the top of his lungs, once again startling the two teenagers on the road as he started to pant. "How the hell did you get a Pokemon?!"

Red didn't answer, just glancing at Shinx who was getting unnerved by Blue's behavior as it slowly started to take shelter behind his foot. This made the brunette more furious as he started to stomp towards the raven haired teen, sneering in his face in a menacing manner.

"What? Ignoring me now?"

"…" Red continued his silence as he once again could not look the two of them in the eye, much less speak to them. 'Why does this have to happen to me?' He thought as he felt small compared to the rage of the two other persons within the conversation as of the moment, which made Blue repeat his question in a low tone.

"Speak, Red. You have a mouth, don't you? Now tell me, how did you get a Pokemon?"

Silence ensued, making Blue more aggravated as he watched the raven haired teen before him show great interest to the ground. Having had enough of the silent treatment, the brunette raised his fist, ready to punch Red only to be stopped by Yellow, much to the confusion of the two boys. Yellow looked at Blue with a soothing smile, holding Blue's fist and lowered it. "Don't waste your energy on this." The blonde gestured to Red before she grabbed Blue's arm and carried him away from the raven haired teen. "That…piece of trash isn't worth your time. Let's go." She said coldly, making the two teen's flinch, mostly Red at every word that exited her mouth.

"Fine." Blue sighed in defeat, calming himself before he noticed a Pokedex in Red's pocket which made him furious. Before he could confront the raven haired teen on it, sirens started to fill the air, overlapping any noise that previously could be heard on the route. Police cars started to stop by the teens with officers coming out, having Growlithe and Herdier by their side. Yellow and Blue looked around with bewildered expressions before they turn their gaze at Red who had a look of terror on his face as he faced the officers. "Freeze! Put your hands up!" said the young female officer with blue hair, who glared at Red, eager to command her Growlithe onto the teen.

"Calm down, Jennifer." said one of the officers, trying the calm the young woman down.

"Jeez, I told you. It's Jenny!" She yelled, grinding her teeth in irritation at the officer before she then resumed to glare at the red capped boy.

"Red, what have you done?" said Blue as he looked at Red in annoyance, with Yellow mimicking his expression. The raven haired teen sighed, his eyes glancing at everyone in the area looking at him with angered and disappointed expression. He shook his head as he pointed down the streets, indicating to them that a bunch of escapees has wreaked havoc across the city and has went into that direction. After he gave them evidence and give them information and evidence on the incident, the police agreed, going into the direction to see if they can intercept the men before they reach past the Pokemon League and reach the forest over there. As they left, the others stayed, glaring at Red before they all ganged up on the boy, readying their handcuffs.

"You're coming with us, kid. You know the most about the incident that took place and we'll need some more information before sending you off." One of the officers stated as he put his hand on Red shoulder, gripping it hard which made the teen yelp in pain.

"How do we know he's not lying? How do we not know if he did it?" said Jenny with a smirk on her face as she opened the door to the vehicle, gesturing Red to go inside. The teen couldn't choose as the man grabbing his shoulder tightened his grip, putting the boy in more pain as another cop twisted his other hand as they both carried him to the car. Noticing the look on its partner's face, Shinx leaped forward, using the Growlithe and Herdier as stepping boosts as it launched a tackle to the police officers back which made him release the teen. The man turned around, planning to kick the Pokemon before Redd dived in the way, taking the kick for the Electric type, shocking the man.

"This is exactly why we need him to come with us. We need some more information. And we need to research it a bit more thoroughly." The officer said as he continued the kick the boy before putting his boot on the teen's head. Red could not believe what he was hearing until the officer took his foot off his head, allowing the teen to stand as he looked into their smirking faces.

'Just like back then, nothing's changed.' He thought with a melancholic expression before turning his attention to Shinx, who was confused and scared at the people around. The officers then approached them closer to them, one of them grabbing Red's arm and dragging him towards their car which caused Shinx to retaliate against them once more only to be stopped by their Pokemon.

"We apologize about scaring you two, Blue Oak. Hope you guys have a wonderful journey." Jennifer said, bowing to the two teens before joining the rest of the officers. Yellow showed no expression towards the scene before however Blue held an anxious and angered as his mind wandered to the Pokedex he saw within Red's possession. 'When did Red get a Pokedex? I know that his mother did not buy it for him due to only researchers and professors being the only ones that can hand them out. It can't be…'

As his thoughts came together, he then caught a glimpse of the Pokedex again in the Red's pocket. Seeing the device again, he noticed a sticker of a Kangaskhan on the top section of the red gadget, giving him the final piece to confirm his suspicions. 'That sticker is Gramps' favorite Pokemon, Kangaskhan. Did he steal it? There's no way that he steal it.' As the spiky haired brunette's thoughts accumulated and wandered, his anger started to grow as he pulled away from Yellow grip and went to Red with eyes full of rage.

"Wait!" Everyone stopped what they're doing to look at Blue who walked past the police and towards the raven haired teen with a scowl on his face. He then reached for the Pokedex in Red's jacket which caused the red eyed boy to struggle furiously against the officers' grips until he was able to get one of his hands free and smack away the young Oak's hand. Balling his hands into fists, Blue look at Red, his expression then changing to surprise as he saw the red eyes of the teen glaring at him menacingly.

"That's my gramps' Pokedex, Red! Give it back! Now!" The brunette shouted, quickly recovering from his stupor. Red shook his head, making the officer holding his arm grip it tighter, making him yelp in pain.

"Give back the Pokedex, kid." Commanded the officer as he applied pressure on the raven haired teen arm. Despite the excruciating amount of pain he's in, the red capped boy refused to give the Pokedex which made both the officer and Blue to growl in irritation. As they tried to pry the device off Red's grip which gave no result of success as Red proved to be a lot stronger than they had thought, the brunette stopped and then came up with an idea.

"How about a deal then, Red?" Blue stated as a smirk started to appear across his face as he took out a Pokeball out of his hand, starting to spin it on his finger as he pointed at the scarlet eyed teen.

"We will have a battle right here. If you win, you can walk away here scott free. No police. You get to leave." As the brunette stated that, the officers were about to protest with scowls on their faces before they heard him continue. "However, if I win, you will give me your Pokedex and you'll need to go with the police officers." Blue stated this as some of the officers nodded, showing their agreement to the deal.

Upon hearing this, Red opted to run away as he glanced around him to only see the officers surrounded him. The black haired teen knew that if he would be at a huge disadvantage as Shinx is injured and Blue knew what his Pokemon and he knew that the police will try their best to make sure that he loses however the teen does not have much of a choice as he felt the officers grips on him tightening on him like a vice as if they're trying to break his body apart. Red slowly nodded which brought Cheshire like grins as they pushed him towards the battlefield, making him fall on his face which caused them to laugh heartily at the teen's expense. 'Well, it doesn't hurt to try, right?' The raven haired teen nervously thought before he looked ahead, checking his surroundings before he tried formulating a plan in his head.

"Are you sure about this, Blue?" Yellow stated to Blue in s serious yet silent tone in her voice to the spiky brunette. The boy looked at the blonde with one of his eyebrows raised which she caught as she sighed before she explained. "You know that Red is no pushover when it comes to battles, right? He's almost as good as you are." She explained to the boy who started to scowl before he waved his hand in the air.

"Please, with how much Charmander and I have trained, this battle is basically a cake walk."

"A cake walk with no sugar if you're not prepared." When Yellow said this, Blue looked at the blonde dumbfounded. "What?" The girl questioned as the spiky haired continued to stare at her. 'She had a sense of humor?!' He screamed in his mind before breaking of his stupor and making his way to the battlefield.

As Red walked to his section of the battle arena, he look to his side at his Electric type who looked a little winded as it walked beside him, causing the teen to worry. He then bent down to the Pokemon as he patted its head, making it look at him with a confused expression.

"You sure you wanna do this, Shinx? I mean, this is my mess. You can just leave if you want." The raven haired teen said, worried about his friend. Shinx barked confidently, looking into the teen's eyes with a determined expression which the boy understood before he got up and turned his gaze to his opponent who was ready as he looked at him with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Get ready to lose, Red!" Blue announced, throwing a Pokeball which released Charmander. The orange lizard growled loudly, shooting fire from its mouth.

"Go, Shinx." Red muttered as Shinx ran to its side of the battlefield. The two trainers look at each other, their Pokemon mimicking their stances as one of the officers went to the middle and waved his hands.

"This will be a one on one match between the prestigious Blue Oak" As he said this, he heard loud cheers around which surprised Red before the teen looked around to see the trainers within the route were watching the battle, creating a crowd which made him lower his cap on his face. "-and…Red Fires. Begin!" He bellowed as his arms descended, signaling the start of the battle.

"Charmander, Scratch! And don't let up!" Blue quickly commanded, Charmander obeyed as it lunged towards Shinx and land a barrages of scratches on it, earning a cry of pain from the Electric type. "Good, now Ember." He continued, as the lizard breathed a fireball from its mouth, hitting the Electric type, scorching it.

"Shinx!" Red shouted, balling his fists as he witnessed the Pokemon on the ground, struggling to get up. "C'mon." The crimson eyed trainer silently cheered as Shinx got up, having a look of pure determination which unnerved both Charmander and Blue.

"Ember, now!" Blue ordered, grinning as he heard the crowd loudly rooting for him. "Dodge, Shinx." As Red made his command, Charmander open its mouth to release a flurry of flames at Shinx who nimbly dodged the attack.

"Good job, Shinx. Tackle." Red ordered calmly, the Electric type moving the lizard Pokemon before extending its hind legs to bash Charmander who was knocked back from its initial position by the attack. Quickly, it got up before growling loudly, showing its determination and spirit which made a smirk appear on Blue's face as he lifted his hand.

"Show him that you're superior, Scratch!" The lizard quickly dashed towards Shinx with its arms raised and claws ready as the target stood still with a serious expression, waiting for its trainer's command.

"Leer." Red muttered, with Shinx contorting its face into a menacing glare which frightened the Fire type, making it slow down. "Retreat and use Tackle." The raven haired teen resumed, fixing his cap. Following its trainer's order, Shinx swiftly jumped back, dodging Charmander's attack before lunging forward and crashing into the lizard, sending the Fire type skidding back to its side of the field, much to his opponent's frustration. Blue clenched his teeth, furrowing his brow as he witnesses his Pokemon struggling in the fight against Shinx as it took another Tackle from the Pokemon, making everyone gasped as the lizard stopped, only to move as it ascended back on its feet.

"What are you doing? We can't be losing to these losers! Ember!" The spiky haired teen yelled, folding his arms as he started to consider Yellow's warning. The blonde watched from the crowd, witnessing the fight from her spot in the audience as she winced at another hit Charmander received, a thought going through her mind. 'I told that idiot that he should not underestimate Red.'

As Charmander got itself up from the ground, the lizard Pokemon roared loudly, frightening everyone as the flame on his tail starts to grow and burn fiercely. Red witnessed the sight, lowering his cap to his face as he realized what's going on as Blue smirks at the development of his Pokemon.

"What's going on?"

"Woah! Its flame got bigger."

"What going on with Charmander?" A trainer asked, looking around for an answer.

"That's Charmander's ability, Blaze." Yellow explained to the trainer as she watched the battle intently. 'Well, this happened. Forgot about its ability. If he plays his cards right, Blue's got this in the bag.' She thought.

Seeing this, Blue grinned as he raise his hand and made a command. "Ember now, Charmander! And don't stop attacking!" The lizard obliged, letting out a giant blast of fire that was heading towards Shinx.

"No!" Red shouted before he made a command. "Shinx, try to dodge it!" As he said that, Shinx proceed to dodge the fireballs, successfully avoiding some of them until one of them created a shockwave that knocked the Electric type into an incoming Ember, leaving it skidding across the battlefield, barely standing. Before the red capped teen could make a command, his Pokemon got hit by multiple Ember attacks which sent it on the ground, unconscious.

"N-no."

Walking over unto the battlefield towards Shinx, Red fell to his knees, cradling the unconscious Pokemon then furrowing his brows in frustration as he heard the crowd cheering Blue for his victory. Gritting his teeth, he didn't notice the referee announcing the results of the battle and Blue walking up to him, looking down at him with pure disappointment.

"A deal is a deal. I will be taking this like you need it where you're going." The brunette said before he swiped the Pokedex from Red. The raven haired teen was about to confront him until he felt someone slap away his hand to see Yellow beside Blue glaring at him with her Bulbasaur vines out of its bulb, ready to attack which made him lower down his hand as he looked at Shinx with guilt plastered. 'I'm sorry, Shinx. I shouldn't have made you fight this battle.'

"You don't deserve to be a trainer. You don't even deserve to have a Pokemon, you damn murderer." Blue said with an emotionless tone, glaring down at Red. The raven haired teen flinched as he heard the words departing the brunette's mouth. Seeing Red's reaction, Blue shook his head before walking past the raven haired teen, not caring if he hit him. "You're a huge disappointment. Can't believe I was once friends with you."

The words stung Red harshly as he continued staying on the ground, resuming to cradle Shinx in his arms. He went to get up only to collide with Yellow which knocked him back on the floor. The blonde clicked her teeth before spitting in Red's face and then storming off to follow Blue. The red capped teen wiped the spit off his face before attempting again to get up only to meet the eyes of one of the police officers who immediately grabbed his shoulder, dragging him to the car.

"I told you I don't know anything about them." Red tried again to protest, earning a stronger grip on his shoulder which caused him to grunt in pain.

"That's what they all say, kid. That's what they all say, you red eyed scumbag. Trust me. I have been waiting to do this to you from that damn incident you caused." The officer muttered before roughly flinging Red into the car, making him drop Shinx and causing his head to collide with the other side of the car which made him hold his head as he felt intense pain coursing through his dome. Red went towards the Pokemon only to be met with a baton to the face before the policeman closed the door which collided to the boy's face, knocking the teen out. The officer then went to the driver seat and drove the red capped boy towards the station, chuckling as the teen slumped silent on the backseat. " You're going to be locked a for a long time."

* * *

As Red regained consciousness, he was in a room with a bunker at the corner of the room. The teen sighed as he watched outside the room from behind his bars. 'So this is jail, huh?'

'My journey, my escape from that town ended before I even knew it.' As the thoughts left his head, he tried to fight back the tears escaping his eyes as he got up off the floor and towards the bed. Turning his gaze to the ceiling, the dim light flickering in the room, Red started to play the short session of events that happened since he went out and started to become a trainer. 'It has been rough these past few days. At this point, most trainers would have to worry about is the new move their Pokemon learnt. Meanwhile, I'm here stuck in jail for something I didn't do because of my eyes and an incident that was caused without my knowledge.' He thought as he watched the ceiling bulb as it went through the pattern of turning on and off.

He then closed his eyes, trying to lose consciousness and drift into the realm of slumber. 'I just hope that Pikachu and Shinx are ok. Shinx…he needed healing. Hope someone healed him. And Pikachu…' His thoughts were interrupted by sounds emanating from the distance followed by the opening of a door. Red resumed keeping his eyes closed, hearing the source of the noise come closer to him. The teen's red eyes opened as he heard a banging sound on his cell door, springing him up from his bed.

"Wake up, kid." An officer said, not paying attention to Red and continuing to bang his baton on the cell door until he saw the teen walking towards him. As the teen got near the man, the teen recognized his face, seeing that it was the police officer who cried on the scene about his daughter who he lost in the fire. Before the boy could react, he got knocked across the head by the man's baton which send him to the ground. Red tried to get up only to feel hands wrapped around his neck, squeezing it as he opened his eyes to see the officer looking at him with an enraged face.

"You think that you can just spend your entire life here with all the lives you've taken. You should be executed for the lives you stole!" The officer stated, his grip getting stronger around the young trainer's neck as he struggled to wring out of the older man's grip.

"You took away my daughter! My sweet Nia! You took her away from me! From her dreams!" The man continued as the red eyed teen started to flail about his limbs, desperate for air. As seconds passed, Red was starting to slowly lose consciousness as his eyes closed as the last sight he could see was the police officer looking around before standing up and locking the door and walking away from his cell.

"Hey, wake your ass up, kid!" Red woke up as he looked up to see a police officer by his cell, impatiently waiting on him as the tapping of his foot echoed through the place.

"You got someone here for you, kid." The man said, cuffing the teen's hands and gesturing for the boy to follow him. Red's eyes glistened with hope as he starting thinking about who would have done so.

'Is it Mom?'

The officer opening the door for the teen and escorting the teen out of the place and into the reception area. As they reached the receptionist, Red searched the room in hopes of finding his mother only to find the old man and his granddaughter that he saved standing by the counter.

"Hello there, young one. How are you doing?" the old man said with a smile on his face, his granddaughter behind him glaring daggers at Red. The teen simply put up a shaky thumbs up with a weak smile. The old man then looked down, surprising the red capped boy. "I apologize for the poor way that we have treated you during these past few days." He said, making the officer beside Red clicking his teeth with a frustrated expression on his face.

"For your information, this degenerate took part in the event that almost caused the complete destruction of this city. We're doing what we are supposed to do, lock him up in jail." The officer stated, making the teen huff in annoyance. 'Lies. Total lies.' Red thought, narrowing his eyes at the police man.

"How do you know that the child was part of what happened?" The old man queried calmly, making the officer started to stutter as he searched for a reason.

"He was-" He started to say before he stopped as he put a finger on his chin.

"Do you have any proof of him partaking in the event, Officer James?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"This child saved us from those goons, twice. If he weren't there, most of us would've lost our lives. And from what I've seen, the kid was combating the people who were causing the incident."

"I-It could've been a set up. T-to try and trick you in order to get you at your most vulnerable state."

"If that's the case and we were in so much danger, where were you at the time of the event?"

"We-we…"

"Yes, I'm listening."

"…" The officer went quiet as he started to sweat profusely which made the elderly man sighed as he walked up to the man.

"I can understand that you are not all knowing and you can't be everywhere at once or the moment trouble arises. However, you can't let your emotions get the better of you. You're an officer for Pete's sake. At least give the boy a chance to speak for himself."

"Ha! Give this murderer a chance to speak. You've gone senile, old man. I don't know why you're willing to go this far for a kid who has so much blood on his hands, his name is starting to make sense."

"…Because I'm willing to thank someone even if they're a thief. And trust me, this boy is not a thief." The old man stated which shocked both the officer and his granddaughter as they both give him a look of confusion.

"Plus, I can tell. He's not as bad as you all rile him up to be." The elderly man said confidently, making a small smile appear on Red's face. "Now, would you do us the favor of undoing the boy's cuffs?" The old man kindly ask, as the officer reluctantly released the teen from his bindings, much to Red's relief.

"Hmph! Your funeral." The man muttered uncaringly before going back to his office as the elder watched the man retreat before parting a few words. "I bid you farewell."

"Come, young man." The old man said, turning and walking towards the door. Red followed then topped as he saw the elder in front of him.

"I never got to ask you your name." He asked to which Red responded by showing him his trainer card. "Red Fires, it seems you're an individual of few words." He said, earning a nod from the red capped teen. "Well, my name is Simon and this is my granddaughter Nora." He explained as they walked through the door of the police, Red inhaled the fresh air before he saw something from the corner of his eye. Recognizing the item, he ran towards the garbage bin, finding his backpack within the discarded items.

'My backpack!' He yelled in his thoughts, searching it and elated to see that everything in his bag was untouched. After his search, he slung the bag on his back before returning to the old man and his granddaughter as the three of them went through the city. Red immediately felt uncomfortable when he could feel the glares of the people as he passed them until they reached a two story house with a green roof. Simon opened the door as his granddaughter went in, he then motioned for Red to enter which the teen reluctantly did, much to the distress of Nora.

"Welcome to our home. Hope you will enjoy yourself." The old man said, as a Pokemon quickly came out from nowhere and tackled Red to the floor, licking his face which caused the teen to laugh. His eyes widened as he saw it, realizing the Pokemon immediately.

"S-Shinx?!" He muttered, frozen stiff as the stared at the Electric type.

"We found it injured after the police took you away. So we took it to the Pokemon Center to get healed." Simon explained, watching Shinx play with its trainer before it curled itself in Red's lap, putting a smile on the man's face. 'It was devastated, almost not capable of smiling when I found it. Wow. Kid must be one hell of a trainer for it to show this amount of affection.'

"I'd like to thank you for all you have done these past few days, Red. As a token of my gratitude, I would like to present you with these." The elderly man stated, taking a box from a drawer and putting it on the table. Red looked at the box skeptically with Shinx hopping on the table, eyeing it with curiosity.

"Open it." Simon said smiling. The teen obliged, opening the box to see six Pokeballs and a few Potions. Surprised, Red picked to see that they are empty which made his mouth agape before looking at the old man.

"I…I-I can't take this…" He could barely mutter, dumbfounded and surprised by the elder's kindness.

"You can talk after all. Don't worry about it, Red. You deserved it." Simon said, waving his hand. The teen looked at the items before bowing.

"Thank you very much, sir. Thank…you." The teen said as tears threatened to escape his eyes which made the old man smiled and surprised the granddaughter as the man waved his hands in the air. "No need to be so respectful. Call me Simon. Also, you're free to stay here for a while." As he stated those words, he went into the kitchen, Nora behind him as they made something for dinner.

For two whole days, Red spend his time recovering from his wounds and the poison while speaking to Simon, preparing himself for his journey and getting a well-deserved rest, which the elder and even Nora started to enjoy the youth's company. As night fall on the day before he departs, the teen sat in the guest room, thinking to himself. 'All I wanted to do is to travel the world but look what happened, I lost my partner before I could do anything about it. All I could do was watch as she was captured. When she needed me the most.' The teen got up and sighed as he paced around the room before he clenched his fists as his expression hardened.

"That Vincent guy was strong. Even with advantage in speed and the paralysis, it took everything we had to beat it and that was just his Scizor. Not to mention the other Pokémon that he had with the invisible barrier. And that Mightyena… He's gonna be stronger and I will need all the strength and power I can get to beat him." Red muttered as he started to pace the room faster before he immediately stopped.

'I swear I'll get you back, Pikachu. If it's the last thing I do. I lost someone special to me already and I'm not losing another.' He finished as he glanced towards the box. As Red stared at the box for minutes, he then opened the box and took a Pokeball and looking at it before he remembered something. "Hold on. Didn't Blue say that he and Yellow are taking the League challenge? That means I can use the gyms as a way to get me stronger."

'But will it won't that easy. Technically, I don't have a Pokemon and if Shinx doesn't wat to. I don't want to force it to come with me. Do I have what it takes?' Shinx hopped on the bed beside the box, watching the teen muttering to himself. It then leaped into Red arms, catching the teen's attention as it snuggled against him. "Thanks, Shinx. Thanks for keeping me company. I'm indebted to you." Red said in gratitude as he sat and petted the Pokemon, much to its delight. The Electric type then eyed the Pokeball on the bed before it pressed the ball with its paws, enveloped into a red light that got transported into the ball.

"Shinx." Red said surprised, as the ball moved a couple times before making a clicking sound. It then released the Electric type, who grabbed the ball with its tail, giving it to the teen, who accepted the gadget, before hopping into his lap. Smiling, the red capped teen petted the Pokemon, causing it to curl itself on his lap. "Thanks, Shinx. Thanks a lot." He said before taking the items out of the box and putting it into his bag before he froze as he heard a voice.

'_Don't mention it.'_

Red looked around, finding no one except Shinx in the room. 'Huh? That's weird.' He took one last search around the room, finding nothing as he took off his hat and scratched his head. 'Swore I heard something.' After sorting out his bag, he laid on his bed, drifting to the land of sleep.

He woke up early the next morning, getting himself ready as he departed from his temporary room with Shinx by his side. Simon and his granddaughter were in the dining room as the red capped teen entered the room, the elder smiling as he saw the rejuvenated teen and his partner. "Leaving so soon, Red?" As the old man asked his question, Red responds confidently with a nod. "Alright, but make sure to take care of yourself." Simon said, as he extended his hand for a handshake, which the teen obliged as he left the house.

After a few minutes, Red reached the border of the town, ready to proceed onto Route 2 until he heard a voice.

"Wait!"

Turning around, he was surprised to see Nora running towards him. She panted before she regained her composure as he walked up to him.

"Here you go." She said, giving him a big lunch box. "I understand how Viridian Forest is like. It's good to replenish yourself, it's a long walk to Pewter City." She explained, smiling as Red stared dumbfounded at the box. "Take it as an apology for how I treated you." Nora said, before the scarlet eyed teen looked at her, nodding.

"…thanks…" Red said which surprised the woman before she turned and walked the other way. She then pulled the teen into a tight hug. "Farewell. And be strong, alright?" She said, to which returned the gesture as he nodded. She then released the hug before turning to Shinx, petting it. "Look after him, alright?" The Pokemon nodded confidently as it yelped. She then waved which Red returned the gesture before turning around and heading off, glancing at the hospital with a serious expression. The teen then continued his path as he went through the gate and to Route 2.

"I wouldn't believe that he had that happened to him, poor kid." Oak said on the phone.

"Yeah. Circumstances came around and events happened before I could give him the Pokeballs."

"Thanks for taking care of him, Simon."

"Don't mention it. He deserved it. It's honestly hard to believe that kid caused the incident years ago."

"Yeah… He's far too kind. I need to make a check back on that incident. Some things just don't add up, Simon. There's too much people don't know about the incident."

"Please do. Something feels wrong. We need to know the truth of that incident. I made a check and some witnesses stated that the kid was not at the school on that day. That's not all, Simon. When the incident happen, every kid at the school stated that they saw the same image while another person stated said that they saw the boy on his way to the school…" Oak explained, which caused Simon's eyes to widen.

"That's impossible. To be at two places at once. Do you think it could be an illusion of some sorts, Samuel?"

"It could be. Whatever caused it has the immense power to create illusions…" Professor Oak pondered before an aide came into his office, informing him of an issue that just occurred.

"Sorry, Simon but I have to cut this conversation short. My help is needed. When we get the time, we should hang out again like the good old days."

"Sure, Samuel. I might bring the old bat to join us as well." Simon joked which caused the professor to be speechless.

"…Please don't…"

"Don't worry, Samuel. Well, I'll speak with you later." Simon stated before the call ended. He looked out his window onto the people bustling on the street and then at the sky. 'I don't like this bad feeling.' He thought, before going to his shelf and running his hand through the variety of books that he has.

'I don't like this at all.'

'The League challenge, huh? It's gonna take me a lot before I can reach the strength I need to save her. Just wait for me, Pikachu.' Red thought as he finally reach Route 2, looking at the various Pokemon that live in the grass and the trainers on the route battling or looking for Pokemon.

"Let's go, Shinx. We've got work to do." He said, which the Electric type nodded as they continued to trek down the road, ready to take on the challenges of their journey.

**Whew! Another chapter completed! Well, that ends the Viridian city arc. So yes, we're finally leaving Viridian City. Sorry if the chapter is super long. Things had to change and honestly, everything was supposed to take like 2-3 chapters initially however with how it was at first, I don't think it would've went well. Hope you guys like the chapter and happy holidays to all y'all! Thanks for the reviews and I may be putting out another story with this pretty soon. Not sure how soon but soon. Enigma out!**


	10. Chapter 9: Turning A New Leaf

As the winds gently pass through the scenery of Route 2, Red and Shinx continue on their path towards Pewter City, encountering a few wild Pokemon and some trainers as well who were itching for a fight.

"Tackle." Red commanded, as Shinx crashed into another Pidgey, knocking it unconscious. "Good job." The teen said, petting the Pokemon who happily purred against his touch. Taking a break and sitting on a log, he took the lunch box Nora made for him out of his bag, which was fried fish with rice, as he placed a bowl of Pokefood for Shinx, which it happily ate.

'Man, this taste so good.' He thought happily after he took the first bite of his food. As he ate his food, he gaze in the distance, seeing Viridian City and a little of Pallet Town, which saddened him immediately.

'I hope Mom's ok.' He thought as he put a spoonful of rice in his mouth. He remembered how much of a different person she was when his father was alive.

"She was so cheerful and optimistic but it all changed when Dad died. It's like… she's a shadow of what she used to be then. She's like a doll now." His thoughts continued as a tear started to form in his eye. "What would you do at a time like this, Dad?" Red said aloud, speaking to no one. As he finished his meal, he glanced towards the distance once more before resuming his journey. Once he continued, his mind was still towards his mother until something clicked in his mind which made him snap his fingers.

'Mom's birthday is soon. Maybe I can surprise her by getting her something.' He thought as he drank a bottle of water and packing his bag while he was contemplating the idea. 'But what would make Mom happy and how much would it cost? I already have another present I need to get for her.' The thought ran through Red's head as he slung his bag on his back then putting his fingers under his chin, his eyes narrowing with concentration until he shrugged.

'I'll think about it along the way. For now…' The red capped teen's thoughts finished as he picked up Shinx and put it on his hat. "Onwards to Pewter!" He announced as he sprinted ahead, the Pokemon crying happily while mimicking its trainer's pose.

After a few minutes, the two of them reached the entrance of Viridian Forest, seeing a sign that said "Beware of Beedrill" in faded writing.

"Here we go." Red said, looking at the entrance then sharing a determined glance with Shinx as he enters within the group of trees. As he entered, one thing he could think of was that the place is so quiet, he could hear his footsteps. He looked around as he saw the place being darker as the sunlight is blocked by the tall trees around the area. Red could hear numerous rustling around him, unnerved by it as his red eyes darted around, searching for anything, human and Pokemon that moved within his vision. Seeing that the coast was clear, the teen resumed on the path, finding multiple Caterpie crawling around a tree. As he observed more of the forest, his fear and nervousness started to slowly subside, being replaced with awe and curiosity. Shinx, however, was slightly unnerved as it treaded along beside its trainer, making sure to stay very close, not wanting to get lost.

"Isn't this cool, Shinx?" The red capped teen questioned, looking around him like a child who was at an amusement park, to which the Pokemon responded by shaking its head. As they continued, they heard a voice which they paid no attention to until it called again, this time a lot louder.

"HEY YOU!" Someone yelled, startling the duo as they quickly turned around, seeing a boy with a straw hat on his head, a sleeveless white shirt and shorts holding a net.

"We're gonna battle!" He declared, taking out a Pokeball from his pocket. "Battle start! Go Caterpie!" He said immpatiently, throwing the Pokeball in the air, releasing a Pokemon akin to a green caterpillar on the field. The caterpillar crawled to its side of the field as it assumed its battle stance.

"You ready, Shinx?" Red asked, Shinx responded by nodding before jumping on the field and roaring with confidence. It took a battle stance as well as it kept its gaze on its enemy.

"Alright Caterpie! Tackle!" The kid commanded loudly. The caterpillar lunged forward to Shinx who patiently waited on its trainer as the Bug-type got closer.

"Dodge, Shinx." Red ordered. Obliging, Shinx swiftly dodged the attack, surprising both Caterpie and its trainer. "Great. Now Leer." The raven haired teen said calmly, lowering his cap. The Electric type obeyed, giving Caterpie an intense glare which frightened the Bug type.

"Caterpie! Don't be scared! Tackle now!" The bug catcher shouted as he stomped on the ground miserably. Nodding in understanding and gaining encouragement from its trainer, Caterpie once again dashed forward, crashing into Shinx and knocking it back. Proud of what was going on, the Bug Catcher grinned then looked at Red with a smug grin on his face which the teen noticed.

"Not so cool now. Are ya?" He taunted as Shinx got up from the ground, shooting Caterpie a look of confidence.

"Tackle!" The trainers both commanded simultaneously. Obeying their trainers, both Pokemon lunged forward and crashed into each other causing them to stagger away from each other.

"Now String Shot!" The Bug catcher quickly ordered. Recovering from the recoil, Caterpie then shot a white thread from its mouth which hit Shinx, surrounding the Electric-type and sticking to its fur, delaying and limiting its movements as it tries to escape. The Bug Catcher smiled as he watch the Electric type squirm out of the white silk threads only to fail again, much to the boy delight.. "Good job, Caterpie! Now Tackle!" He ordered, as the Bug type went to bash the Electric type.

"Leer." Red ordered adjusting his cap on his head. Shinx obliged, shooting Caterpie an intimidating glare that frightened Caterpie. The Bug Pokemon started to slow down due to the effects of the leer, much to the teen's delight as he formulated a plan before he looked at his trapped partner and he commanded it to do another Leer.

'Good. It's at the zone I need it to be. Now how do I deal with the threads?' Red thought as the bug catcher ordered Caterpie to do another Tacke which it obliged as it leaped towards Shinx, getting closer to colliding with its opponent before the raven haired teen spoke up which startled the young trainer. "Dodge to the side, Shinx then Tackle." The raven haired teen commanded quickly but calmly as soon an idea popped in his head, outstretching his hand. Despite being slightly immobile from the String Shot, Shinx dodge the attack and then delivered a blow to Caterpie, knocking it unconscious.

"Aww man. I thought I got you." The Bug Catcher sighed in frustration, returning his Pokemon before handing a bunch of Pokedollars to Red. "Nice match." He said, holding his hand out to which Red nodded, giving him a handshake, a smile plastered on his face. 'This is what a Pokemon battle should be like. Fun, challenging and really testing your mettle.' As he finished his thought, the red capped teen said his farewells to the bug catcher before resuming his journey through the forest.

For hours, Red found himself fighting wild Pokemon and fighting Trainers alike as he ventured through the forest.

"Tackle." He commanded as Shinx lunged forward, knocking out another Metapod. "Nice." After Red made his comment, he then noticed a change within the Electric type as it stood still and roared, startling any unsuspecting wild Pokemon in the grass. Suddenly, Shinx was starting to glow as the electricity in the air started to get absorbed by it, making its fur spike up. "Cool." Red commented, as he made his way to taking out his Pokedex only to find out that he does not have one anymore which saddens the trainer. As he sorted out the things in his bag, his red eyes cane across something wrapped in paper which he took up out of curiosity until his face changed to a surprised expression as he realized what it he unwrapped the paper for it to reveal a blue device in his hand, similar to the old one with a note on it. Red read the note which stated.

_Dear Red,_

_I understand that you had lost your previous Pokedex from Professor Oak so I decided to give you mine. Now like the first, it's not as advanced as the recent Pokedex that trainers today have but I know that you can find use in it when the time comes._

_-Simon_

The red eyed teen then scanned the Pokemon as he waited for it to process the information. As he heard a ding that signaled the process, he was rewarded with a screen on the device as a voice from the Pokedex. '_Information Unknown_'

'Oh yeah. Professor Oak said his was an old model. Must be the same with this one. Guess that move wasn't discovered when this thing came out or something.' Red thought until Shinx stopped glowing, confused onto what has happened as it looked around.

"What the?" Red asked, baffled at what just happened. He walked up to the Shinx, petting it which made it respond with a happy purring sound only to be rewarded with a slight jolt through his body as he looked at his hand. 'Huh? Weird.'

"Well, we'll find out what it does soon. Let's take a break, Shinx." Red declared which the Electric type nodded in agreement as it jumped on his head, acting as a lookout as he laid out his stuff and then called it to eat along with him which it obliged. After they took their break, they continued wandering through the seemingly endless forest in hopes of reaching Pewter City. Annoyed by the fact that it seems that he isn't going nowhere, the red capped trainer checked the map for the umpteenth time, only to find no info on which direction to go as the map just states that he is in Viridian Forest.

'I need to get this damn thing upgraded.' He clicked his teeth, putting his Pokegear in his pocket as he ventured through the unknowns of the forest.

After minutes of walking, Red started to feel his hair stand still as he felt that there is something strange. 'It feels like someone is watching us.' The raven haired teen thought as he felt crawling along his back. Thinking it was Shinx, he continued to search until he saw the Electric type beside him, licking its paw. 'Cute.' He smiled until he widened his eyes in surprise. 'Hold on. If Shinx is right here, then who is-' His thoughts were interrupted when he turned his heat only to be face to face with a yellow bug with a purple nose and a horn on its head.

"Whoa!" He yelled, falling on his rear with the Pokemon still latched on his shoulder, looking at him in curiosity. "Uhh… hello?" Red muttered, waving a hand at the Bug type who still stared at him intently. Red took this moment to take out his Pokedex, ready to scan the Pokemon. 'I'm pretty sure this is a Weedle.' He said, scanning the Pokemon. After the scan was completed, the Pokedex started to beep, which made a voice out of the device started to explain.

_'__Weedle, The Hairy Bug Pokemon. A Bug/Poison Pokemon. __The barb on top of its head secretes a strong poison. It uses this toxic barb to protect itself.'_

"Anything else?" said the raven haired trainer who got nothing else from the Pokedex. He then looked through the information on the Pokedex, searching through Weedle information page while the Pokemon in question crawl its way to the top of the Red's cap with Shinx following it, glancing around the forest. "No info on its special abilities. Oh, come on." He whined, putting the device back into his pocket. Suddenly feeling the weight on his head, he could hear Weedle and Shinx having fun sightseeing the forest on his head which made the raven haired teen smile. 'Sensing a bit of déjà vu here.' Red thought before he realized the reason, feeling melancholic before shaking it off for a look of confidence and continuing on his journey.

'…I'll save you. If it's the last thing I do…"

Red and company continued through the forest, battling wild Pokemon and trainers along the way, with Weedle participating in some of the battles, much to the Bug-type's delight and excitement. Hours passed until the red capped teen reached a clearing which he then took refuge by a tree, resting his head on the bark with his cap over his eyes as Shinx and Weedle started to play with each other. After a few minutes, he started to doze off, silently snoring as the wind passes through, carrying the leaves. Suddenly a noise echoed which caused the teen to wake up as he sees his Pokemon still playing before he then heard some people coming to the clearing which caused him to close his eyes as he tried to go back to sleep.

As the sounds came closer, he opened to see a girl who looked to be the same age as him, she was wearing a black dress with white gloves and boots with a green bag strapped to her shoulder. She was a few feet from him, seeming to be in an argument with two guys in front of her who seemed to be flirting with her.

"I said no means no. Please leave me alone."

"C'mon babe. You look like you want to have a good time wearing that dress."

"Yeah, girl. Just one date is all we ask."

"Ugh…"

The raven haired trainer seemed to be too invested in what's happening in front of him that he didn't notice that the girl saw him and was making her way towards him with a smirk on her face.

"Hi sweetie! Took you long enough!" She said, wrapping her arms around Red and laid her head on his shoulder. 'Wait. What?' He thought, as he stood up and looked at the girl incredulously as she winked at him. "I was waiting so long. You could've at least texted me." She continued, twirling her fingers around the red capped teen undershirt, much to his confusion. He then caught a glimpse of her face, seeing that her face was red with embarrassment and giving him an expression that said 'play along'. Doing so, Red scratched the back of his head and grinned at her, much to her relief.

"This wimp is your boyfriend, babe. C'mon. We can give you a better time." One of the guys said with a smirk on his face while the other gets closer to her, putting his hand under her chin which made her look at the red capped teen for assistance. Understanding her dilemma, Red then got between them, giving the guys a malicious glare from his red eyes that easily scared both of them.

"Y-You've got a weird taste in guys, babe. Cause that's a damn demon!"

"Y-Yeah. You can keep her, dude."

They stuttered as they both started to quickly run away from the both of them, causing the girl to look at the red capped teen and backed away. Sighing in exhaustion, Red went over to the tree that was his resting point, he then crouched, picking up his belonging and signaling his Pokemon that they're leaving. As he was about to get up and leave, he heard footsteps coming towards him, turning to see the girl hovering over him with her hands behind her back.

"Thanks for helping me out back there." She said as she quietly eyed the red capped teen. Red nodded before standing up and continuing on the path with Shinx and Weedle on his shoulders until he heard her voice again, asking in a frantic tone.

"A-Are you going to Pewter City?" The raven haired teen turned and nodded once more, causing her to smile and say, "I'm going there too. Umm…I was wondering if we could go together." As the words left her mouth, she started to fidget, thinking he might refuse.

'Well, it doesn't hurt to have a companion.' He thought before he shrugged, nodding which made her a huge smile appear on her face as she sighed in relief and joined him on the path. "Thanks. My name is Leaf. What's yours?" she asked nicely only to see Red pointing at his jacket, making her look at him strangely.

"Your jacket, what about it?" She said, making the teen roll his eyes as he pointed at the red section of his jacket. "I know. It's a jacket, the red part-" Her eyes widened as she started to realize what the raven haired teen was implying as she muttered something. "Wait, are you from Pallet town?"

Red nodded. Leaf blankly stared at him before furrowing her brows, her hand pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Your parents named you Red, didn't they?" She asked, pointing at his jacket. Red nodded again. Leaf facepalmed, her groan muffled by her hands before her gaze fell to the floor with her hair covering her eyes.

"…I'm done with this…" Leaf said in a low tone, her shoulders shaking as Red feared the worst. 'Does she know about the incident?' He thought, starting to fidget nervously as he backed away from the girl, watching her twitch in anger before she exploded in anger, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"What is with you people and colors?!" The girl yelled to no one in particular, startling Red and his two partners. She then

"Seriously?! I don't get why the parents of Viridian and Pallet have a tendency for naming their children after plants and colors. Seriously, the only people that have normal names are everyone that is not born in Pallet or Viridian! Seriously, you got Red, my parents decided to name me Leaf, I don't even know why they did that! I mean Red, Blue, Yellow, Daisy! What else are they gonna do? Name a child fucking Indigo!?"

As she finished ranting, she panted as she took a moment to catch her breath, her hands on her legs as her body desperately gathered for air. After a few minutes, she recovered as she walked up to the red capped teen with a flustered expression.

"Can you please…keep what I said between us, Red?" She asked, to which Red shrugged, petting Shinx as he carried it in his arms. This earned a smile on her face as she thanked the teen. "Sorry about that, I kinda had some lingering emotions about my name and how lazy the people of Viridian and Pallet." As she made her statement, she let out that she didn't knew she held as she joined Red and continued through the forest.

"So why did your parents named you Red?" Leaf asked, curious and bored from walking around the place in silence for an hour. As he heard her question, Red started to shift uncomfortably as he avoided eye contact with the girl lowering his cap even more which got the girl confused. After he did that, he thought quickly as he just timidly gestured to his outfit which earned a giggle from the girl.

'He's quiet. Wonder if he's shy. Strange I can't see his face face though.' Leaf thought, stealing quick glances at her silent companion who was now busy playing with Weedle as it crawled on his shoulder. As they ventured through the forest, the brunette tried her best to make Red speak but she was unsuccessful at every attempt. Upset by the lack of emotion and words from her companion, she pouted as she furiously kicked a stone into the bushes. Followed after was a cry that startled both the teens as they turned their attention towards the bush, seeing a huge bird Pokemon ascend from the shrubs and glaring at them with an angered expression. "Pidgeooooo!" It cried loudly before opening its wings and bracing itself. Noticing this, Red quickly pushed Leaf out of the way as Pidgeotto lunged passed, barely grazing the teen's jacket.

"Thanks, Red." The brunette thanked him before they had to move again, dodging another attack. Landing in the bushes, the teens hid and waited for Pidgeotto to leave the area. The Flying-type Pokemon searched the area for the teenagers while they tried to escape until it hear a twig break by one of the teens' feet. Before they could do anything, Pidgeotto dove towards them, tackling Red into a tree and knocking the wind out of him. Leaf then found herself alone with the bird Pokemon who was watching her intently as it hovered in the air.

"Nice Pidgeotto. Niicee Pokemon." She silently whispered, backing away from the Flying-type as it resumed its glare on her. It then lunged to attack her until it got tackled to the side, sending it into a tree. Pidgeotto looked at its attacker, finding Shinx who met its gaze with a serious expression.

"What the?" Leaf asked before seeing Red emerging behind the Pokemon, panting as he held his stomach. She then joined him, throwing a Pokeball in the air.

"Go Squirtle!" A light came out of the ball, letting out a blue turtle Pokemon that landed on the field. Pidgeotto recovered, letting out a loud cry before ascending to the sky and flapping its wings creating a strong gust of wind that knocked everyone back, before dashing towards them.

"Shinx, Leer. Weedle, Poison Sting." Red whispered loud enough for both of his Pokemon to hear. Before Pidgeotto could reach to the group, it met with intimidating glare from Shinx which unnerved it, causing it to slow down enough for Weedle to jump off Red and hit the Pokemon with its horn. Crying in pain, the Flying-type dropped on the floor, before it got hit with a blast of water from Squirtle that send it crashing into a tree.

As Pidgeotto recovered, it fought both Shinx, Squirtle and Weedle head on in an intense battle. Despite it being outnumbered, the Pokemon held its own against its opponents and eventually started winning, much to the teens' frustration. As it dove again with it wings tucked in against Shinx, it got hit by a spray of water that made it fall to the ground. It then turned, seeing Squirtle in a battle pose with a Budew beside it glowing as it sat with a content expression on its face.

"Red!" She called, catching Red's attention. "I got a plan! We just need to fend it off a bit longer!" She yelled to which the red capped teen nodded in understanding.

As the battle continued, Pidgeotto spread its wings and slammed them into Squirtle who blocked the attack by withdrawing into its shell. As it moved away from Squirtle, it exchanged looks with Shinx, frightened as it looked into its scary eyes. As it retreated, it got hit once again by Weedle's horn, making it exhausted as its wings' flapping started to get slower. It tried to attack but it staggers and falls to the ground, breathing heavily.

"What?" Leaf questioned as she saw the Pokemon get up again and prepared to attack only to fall down on the ground again. Red's eyes widened, realizing what is going on. 'Wait. Is that-'

"It's poisoned." Leaf quickly realized. She then took the opportunity of the situation. "Squirtle, Water Gun!" Squirtle then shot a blast of water at Pidgeotto, knocking it back a few feet from when its original spot. It then charged towards Weedle, tucking it wings and enduring the poison, only to find Shinx before it, electricity surging through its fur. It let out a burst of light, stopping Pidgeotto in its tracks as it tries to find its bearings.

"Tackle it to the ground." Red ordered. Shinx obliged, jumping into the air before colliding into the Flying-type, knocking it into the ground. "Red! We're ready!" Leaf said which made the raven haired teen signal for his Pokemon to return, leaving Pidgeotto on the ground.

"Budew, Absorb." Leaf commanded, Budew's vines opened, releasing an orb of green energy that scattered to Pidgeotto. Before it could lift its wings, a green energy surrounded it, making it cry out in pain as the energy in its body starts to get drained quickly by the second. After a few moments, it collapsed on the floor, unable to move a single muscle in its body. Everyone grouped together around the unconscious Pokemon from a distance, watching for any signs of movement only to find none. Leaf then celebrated, picking up Squirtle and about to pick up Budew until she saw Pidgeotto from the corner of her eye as it leaped forward in a burst of speed, a few seconds away from attacking the Grass-type. Before it could strike Budew, it suddenly stopped, confusing Leaf and her Pokemon as they stared at the Bird Pokemon. The Flying type looked down to see Weedle's horn jabbed into its abdomen before collapsing, fully unconscious.

Leaf sighed in relief as every Pokemon cheered happily at their success. During the celebration, Red walked towards Pidgeotto, checking on its condition. After he was done, he took up the Pokemon, putting it under a tree as he put a bunch of berries by its wings as he petted it. 'Sorry about this. Hope you'll accept this as an apology.' He thought as Leaf crept behind him, watching him silently.

"I see that you're a nice person, Red." She said with a smile which frightened the red capped teen as he quickly hid it and responded to her with a nod, earning a look from the brunette as she put her hands on her hips.

"You know you can talk, right?" Leaf stated, raising a brow at Red who remained silent and nodded again causing her to pout. She was about to say something until she was interrupted by a loud cry, both of them turned to see Weedle glowed with an intense light. The two trainer stood dumbfounded with their mouth slightly agape as the Pokemon changed form and got bigger before the light start to subside. A yellow cocoon with black eyes and small pincer started to appear as the white light ceased, causing Leaf to marvel and Red to hold back a huge grin. "It evolved. It's now a Kakuna, right?" Leaf asked, taking a Pokedex out of her as it scanned the new Pokemon.

"_Kakuna, the Cocoon Pokemon._ _Kakuna remains virtually immobile as it clings to a tree. However, on the inside, it is extremely busy as it prepares for its coming evolution. This is evident from how hot the shell becomes to the touch." _

"Long description. Right, Red?" Leaf commented, looking over to the raen haired teen to see him not on the spot. "Red?" She searched until she saw him petting Kakuna who was completely stagnant. After he was finished, he turned his gaze to Budew, confused to what it was. Turning his attention, he raised a brow and pointed at the Pokemon, Leaf looked at him and then at the Grass-type.

"You want to know what Budew is?" She guessed which received a nod from the red capped teen. She then smiled deviously as she got an idea. She gave Red a mischievous gaze before walking up towards him, looking up at him with a knowing smile.

"How about a deal?" She said which earned an eyebrow raise from the red capped teen. "You get to know Budew info and I get to see your face." She concluded which got the raven haired teen confused and nervous. 'Why the face? Why does she want to see my face?' Red thought before looking at her Pokedex. 'I want to know what that Pokemon is so badly but…' He resumed, touching his cap that concealed his face and rubbing the brim of it.

'I'm sorry. I had too much of a good day and I'm not ruining it by going through another episode again.' Red then turned around, and shook his head which caused Leaf to angrily pout as she walked in front of him.

"Why not? Is there a scar on your face or something?" She asked excitedly, getting more interested as she continued imagining. Red, however, had enough and was walking away until he felt a hand on his arm. "You're acting like some rogue criminal from a detective show. Now I'm interested. Please, Red?" She asked sweetly, giving a puppy face. 'What the hell?' Red thought, trying his best look away at the face that she was making only to see her back in his face. 'Stop doing that face. She looks too cute. Do not falter, Red. Oh yeah!' He closed his eyes and looked away, holding his cap to his face. Surprised, Leaf cursed under her breath. "Damn it!" The red capped teen secretly pumped his fist in the air. 'Thanks, dad. Your struggles with Mom were not in vain.'

Red was interrupted out of his thoughts as he felt Leaf tried to swipe to get his cap but failed. "Damn it." She cursed before trying again, getting the same result. The raven haired teen continued to dodge her swipes until she grabbed his arm to hold him in place, using her free hand to pry his cap off. Their Pokemon watched the struggle, Squirtle and Shinx betting on which trainer will win the bout while Budew slept on Kakuna.

"C'mon. Show me!" Leaf begged, struggling to knock the hat off. Red shook his head the best he could as he tried to wiggle his hand out of the brunette's grip. Their conflict continued until Red tripped on a rock and falling backwards with Leaf descending with him to the grassy ground next to the teen. Exhausted and gasping for air, they both started to laugh heartily as they got sat upright.

"That was honestly a lot of fun." Leaf said, panting as she looked at Red to see him nodding. Realizing his hands are not on his cap and his guard was down, she took the opportunity and pounced on the raven haired teen, bounding his arms to the ground and knocking his hat off.

"Finally! Let's see that f-" Leaf paused as her eyes caught sight of Red's face, seeing scarlet orbs looking back at her. She started going closer to his face, checking to see if she was seeing an illusion or if they were contacts. Entranced, Leaf stared intently, blocking everything from her mind as she wholeheartedly concentrated her gaze on Red's face.

'They're so pretty. How can someone be born with such beautiful eyes?' She thought, not realizing that she was so close that she could basically feel the boy's breath on her face.

Feeling confused and a slight bit comfortable, Red snapped his fingers in the brunette's face which barely snapped her out of her trance. When she came to, she blushed as she hopped off Red, hiding her face in her hands and holding back her blush.

"Sorry, Red. Your eyes. They're…" She paused, her face stuck on a dazed expression as she tried to find the right words. 'Here we go, again.' Red looked down, taking up his cap and putting it on his head and concealing his eyes as he feared the worst. 'She's gonna say they're freaky or scary. Here it com-'

"…beautiful." Leaf finished, making the raven haired teen look at her surprised, not believing what he has heard. 'Wait, what?'

Her blush concealed, Leaf then looked at him, completely focused on his face as she went to the raven haired teen and lifted his cap to reveal again his scarlet eyes.

"Your eyes look like red marbles. Are these natural?" She asked which Red, still surprised, barely responds with a nod.

"You were born with these?" He did another nod.

Leaf continued staring, going into another trance until Red cleared his throat, snapping her back into reality. "Oh, sorry." She said before she remembered something as she looked around and found her Pokedex. "Well! A deal is a deal!" she said as she opened the Pokedex and went on a certain page then giving it to Red who happily took the device.

_"__Budew, the Pokemon. When it feels the sun's warm touch, it opens its bud to release pollen. It lives alongside clear pools."_

'Cool. Need to note some of these extra notes. It shows special abilities as well. Nice.' Red thought as he looked up from the device and at Budew who was sleeping on Kakuna. Leaf smiled as she watched the raven haired teen marveled while he was using her Pokedex before she yawned then looking at her Pokegear. '7:30PM?!' Her eyes widened as stared at it with her mouth agape.

"Woah! I can't believe it's so late!" She yelled, startling Red and frightening Budew out of its slumber. The raven haired teen looked at his Pokegear and his face held an astonished expression.

"Why don't we call it a night and camp out, Red?" Leaf yawned and stretched, seeing the red capped teen answer her with a swift nod. They both then set out for a spot to camp, along the way eating their dinner until they found a spot. Red then hang Kakuna by a nearby tree, remembering the Pokedex entry stating what it needs in order to grow and evolve. After he had done that, he began to take out camping supplies before the brunette walking up to him, fidgeting.

"Umm…If you don't mind, I only have a sleeping bag, could we share your tent?" She asked, eyes glued on the ground to hide the small blush that is creeping across her face. Feeling sorry for the brunette, Red nodded which caused a smile to emerge on Leaf's face as she raced to get her stuff in his tent after he finished making it. As they both got themselves ready and got in their respective sleeping bags, the brunette uttered something that could not be heard before she said to Red.

"Goodnight, Red."

"…night…" Red whispered which went unnoticed by Leaf because she quickly fell asleep. He then petted Shinx as he closed his eyes.

'Tomorrow is another day.'

**Yes, everyone. She's here. She's finally here. Leaf has made her appearance. You guys have no idea how long it took me brainstorming to know how to introduce Leaf and where to introduce her. Honestly, this chapter was supposed to be put out along with chapters 7 and 8. This didn't take long than expected, it's just that when chapter 8 was finished, all of a sudden, I got busy. Not to worry though. Hope you love the holiday. Also, thanks for the reads and I hope you like the chapters and the story so far. Enigma out!**


	11. Chapter 10: Stone Cold Showdown

As the sun peeks itself from the horizon with its rays peering through the trees of Viridian Forest. The sounds of wildlife resonated through the area causing Red to slowly fluttering his eyes open, springing up from his slumber. Sleep still present in his eyes, the raven haired teen observed around the tent to see a girl sprawled out on the floor sleeping out of her sleeping bag, a line of drool coming from her mouth. The girl was almost on his side of the tent, putting her hands on his sleeping bag as she started to snore silently.

'So she's one of those sleepers.' Red mentally sighed as he brought her back into her sleeping bag and tucked her back in, which cause her to smile as she murmured in her sleep. He then went outside, inhaling the air as he observed the forest around him, with Shinx slowing walking towards him, it also just waking up.

"Good Morning, Shinx." He greeted the Electric type who responded back with a tired cry before it yawned. He then saw Kakuna hanging from a tree branch with a serious expression on its face.

"Hey, Kakuna! How are you doing up there?" Red asked, seeing the Pokemon slowly extend its stingers as an answer. The teen grinned before he started to stretch and go into his bag to take out some berries. As he laid out the ingredients, he took out a make shift pot and ignited the campfire. He then started cooking which created a scent that wafted the area and causing his female companion to emerge from the tent, attracted by the aroma that quickly brought her from the land of slumber.

"Morning, Red." Leaf yawned as she stretched her arms before sitting on a log, quickly wiping the drool on her face and hoping that the raven haired teen did not see it. She then released her Pokemon as they stretched about, trying to shake the sleepiness off their bodies. Waving at her as a response to her greeting, Red continued cooking as Shinx went by his side, before rubbing its head against Red's foot.

"Red. That smells good. Whatcha making?" Leaf asked, going beside Red as she looked at the pot that the raven haired teen was stirring the food. The raven haired then motioned to his Pokegear which she got out of his bag as he typed something on his phone, showing to her as she read.

"You're making a Berry porridge? What's a Berry Porridge?" The brunette asked, one of her brows raised as she looked at him with a confused expression. The scarlet eyed boy looked at her with a knowing smirk before he continued cooking, leaving her dumbfounded by his antics as she came out of a stupor. 'I hate his beautiful eyes.'

After a few minutes, Red finally finished as he shared Leaf portion in a bowl and gave it to her which she happily accepted, looking at the food skeptically. When she took a sip of the bowl, she suddenly gasped, almost dropping her bowl onto the ground as she was frozen stiff.

"This tastes delicious! What did you use to make this?" She said as she hungrily drank more, shoving her finished bowl to Red for another serving of the food, surprising the teen before he obliged. Finishing almost four bowls of the pudding, Leaf was full as she leaned back on the log, sighing in content as she patted her belly.

"Red. I gotta tell you. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were an undercover chef." The brunette commented as she folded her legs, going into her bag for items as Budew went onto her lap. She then took out some supplies from her bag before she went to the tent, getting herself ready as she told Red that she will be out in a bit. Red then packed up his stuff, ready to continue his journey until he heard a voice in his head, surprising the teen.

'_Don't leave me…'_

Red looked around, his eyes landing at Kakuna who locked eyes with the teen, slightly moving its stingers.

_'__Please don't leave me.' _The voice spoke once again, the raven haired teen's eyes widened as he heard it again, this time more clear and obvious. "You want to come with me?" Red asked as the Kakuna does its best to do a nod.

_'__If it wasn't so obvious before… Yes, I would love to.'_ The voice stated, surprising the teen again. The raven haired teen nodded before he took out a Pokeball and pressed it unto Kakuna, turning it into a red light and compressing it into the device. He looked at the ball in his hand as it shook three times then clicked indicating Kakuna was caught. Red then turned his gaze to Shinx, smiling as he put the ball on his belt.

"Looks like we got a new companion, Shinx." He said before being called by Leaf who was tapping her foot impatiently as she had a folded tent in her arms.

"Red, C'mon! I would like to get to Pewter City by nightfall the latest! I need my beauty bath!" She yelled, gaining a smile from Red and a snicker from Shinx as they made their way to her. Infuriated and embarrassed by what she said, she rushed to the red capped teen and put the tent in his bag, trying her best to not let him see the blush on her face. As she was finished and she zipped up his bag, she then locked her arms with his before dragging him off to the direction of the forest's exit. As they continue treading along the forest, they had several battles, some being double battles that they have won due to their surprisingly good chemistry and teamwork. After a few hours of fighting, training and resting, the duo has finally found the path to the exit, much to Leaf's joy.

"Finally! The exit! Let's go, Red!" She exclaimed, bolting out of the forest with Red following behind her, going at his own pace. As they went through the gate and out to the other section of Route 2, they were greeted by the sunlight and the gentle breeze which caused the red capped teen to close his eyes and inhale the scent of nature and feel the breeze. As he did this, the breeze then suddenly got stronger, lifting Leaf's dress and revealing her underwear which caused her to blush furiously as she quickly pulled it down. Her face now red as an apple, she then glared at Red who was gently smiling until he opened his eyes, confusion etched on his face as he looked at the blushing girl with a brow raised.

"Did you see anything?" Leaf asked darkly, getting closer to him, scaring the teen. Glaring into his eyes, slightly entranced by his red eyes but still angered expression as her hands clenched into fists. Red slowly shook his head, not understanding what the brunette is referring to.

"You're lucky you have beautiful eyes." She scoffed, folding her arms and looking away from him before continuing on the route. Red stood frozen, immensely baffled at the situation that just occurred in front of him before he slowly went after Leaf, a thought crossing his mind. 'What just happened?'

When they reached Pewter City, it was near midday as the brunette sprinted straight towards the Pokemon Center, dragging her red capped companion along. As they entered the red building, Nurse Joy smiled as she saw the two teenagers rushed towards the counter.

"Can I get a room for two, please?" Leaf requested which caused Red to look at her with a surprised expression as he raised a brow. The brunette noticed this as she saw the nurse as well giving her a skeptical look.

"What? It's less money and we'll get to know each other more." She said as she made a sly smile, confusing Red. She took her Pokemon out of her bag as the nurse went for their room key. The scarlet eyed youngster sighed, giving Leaf a tired look who returned the look with a wink.

'This girl is gonna be a piece of work.' He thought, pinching the bridge of his nose before taking out his Pokeballs from his belt. The nurse returned, giving them the key to their room. "Your room number is 12. It should be the room at the end to the utmost right. You can't miss it."

"Excuse me, nurse. Could you please heal our Pokemon?" Leaf asked which received a nod from the woman. The two trainers gave the nurse their Pokemon which she happily took, taking them into a room.

"I will bring them to your room once they're finished healing." She informed them as they thanked her and leave to go their room. As Leaf opened the room, she immediately dropped her stuff and made her way into the bathroom, locking the door. Left alone in the room, Red looked around checking the room, seeing two beds on the opposing side of the room, a TV, a couch and a fridge. Exhausted from the journey through Viridian Forest, he quickly dropped his bag and plopped on his bed, allowing sleep to take over his conscience.

Red was only able to get a few minutes of sleep until a voice yelled in his sleep. He shifted in the bed before the voice came again, this time louder as it did its purpose and woke him from his slumber, opening his eyes to see Leaf looking at him with her arms folded.

"Wake up, Snorlax! You need to bathe too. Oh! And after this, we're going to eat some food. I'm starving!" She said, earning an annoyed grunt from Red as he got out of his bed.

"And don't you grunt me, pretty eyes!" She said as she sat on her bed, waiting. Feeling frustrated due to being taken out of sleep, the raven haired teen threw his cap on the bed and made his way to the bathroom. After he showered, he got out of the bathroom only to be face to face with Leaf who was impatiently tapping his foot on the ground as she patted her stomach.

"Finally! We can go! Let's eat!" She announced before grabbing Red's arm and dragging him to the cafeteria, getting their healed Pokemon along the way. After a few minutes, they were seated and indulging in their food. Taking the first bite out of her food, Leaf instantly squealed as she put her hand on her chin. "Man, this is delicious!"

She then took another bite, savoring the food as it dissolved in her mouth which earned a moan, frightening Red as he looked at her as if she was going crazy.

"Why does it taste so good? It doesn't have to taste so good." As Leaf continued savoring the food, the raven haired teen ate his own silently, with his finger on his chin. Shinx noticed this, quickly finishing its meal before jumping on his lap which caught the teen's attention as he petted its head. Leaf noticed his bandaged arm as she stopped eating and looked at him worriedly.

"I've always wondered, Red. Those bandages… what happened to you before we met?" She said as she touched his bandaged wrist and traced her fingers along the neatly tied bandage. The red capped trainer winced a little as he looked at his bandages with a melancholic expression until he felt a hand holding his own, lifting his gaze from his scarlet eyes to meet Leaf's aqua green ones. "You can talk to me about it. I'll listen."

Red nodded, trying his best to think of a way of explaining with Shinx nuzzling against him, trying its best to provide him with confidence. After a while, the scarlet eyed teen sighed before trying his best to portray what has happened to him prior to their meeting through hand gestures which failed as the brunette couldn't understand.

"Why don't you just talk? You have some captivating eyes, you may have an amazing voice." Leaf said as she cupped his cheek and lifted the brim of his cap, a blush creeping on Red before he saw the girl looked at him with a dazed look. Witnessing this, he was able to hold his blush as he snapped his fingers, knocking her out of her trance as she jumped in surprise before she made a pout as she started to mumble. "Those damn eyes. Keep hypnotizing me."

Red snickered which caused her to glare at him before she started to give in and laugh herself. As they finished laughing, the brunette put a hand on his chin as she was deep in thought. Snapping her fingers, Leaf then got an idea as she fished out her Pokegear and gave it to Red, causing him to look at her in confusion.

"Type whatever has happened to you here." She said as the raven haired teen booted up the device before he quickly typed in what happened before giving the Pokegear back to Leaf. As she read the message, her eyes widen when she finished reading the note, shifting her worried gaze to Red. "I'm sorry to hear that, Red. Must be awful."

"Can't believe so much happened in Viridian City though. That explains the shakes from a couple days back. They were explosion shockwaves." Leaf stated as she took a forkful of rice into her mouth, earning a nod from the raven haired teen as he looked at his food with a melancholic expression on his face.

"Why don't you talk, Red?" Leaf stated her mind as she looked carefully and observed Red's patterns as he thinks about how to answer her question. Before Red was about to type on the Pokegear, Leaf snatched it from his hands as she waved her finger at him.

"Red, sweetie. You're gonna have to explain this to me. From your own mouth. With words and not grunts." The brunette said, looking at him with a serious expression on her face as she put her head in her palms. Red sighed as he looked at his food, wondering about how to explain to her and feeling uncomfortable by the minute. 'Maybe I shouldn't have done this to him. He's already look nauseous.'

"Don't worry, Red. I'm sorry to force you to this." Leaf sighed as she went to her food, taking her mouthful before she went to her juice, much to Red's relief. As the teen let out a breath he didn't know he held, he looked at the brunette, seeing her downcast expression which she tried her best to hide under a smile. Witnessing this, he put his hand over hers, earning a look of confusion from her face as he just smiled at her. 'When I'm more comfortable and confident with this, I'll grant your wish.'

The night went by as the two teens laughed, played and sleep before morning came, the rays of the sun enveloping the city of Pewter in a golden brown tint which caused the two teen to wake up from their slumber as they got themselves ready, going to the Pokemon Gym building.

"I can't believe I'm here. The Pewter City Pokemon Gym. This is where I'm- we're gonna start our story. Right, Red?" Leaf announced as she pushed the doors of the gym back, she and Red winced as the doors loudly banged. The brunette turned around to see scarlet orbs looking into her soul as she turn around in embarrassment, hiding her blush in her hands. Red walked up to the girl, patting her on the back as she regained her confidence before she then saw a man with brown spiky hair and closed eyes with an orange long sleeved shirt and green pants walking to them along with a man with glasses with a white shirt and black pants. Both of them then noticed them as the man in glasses briskly walked towards them.

"Good morning, challengers. And welcome to the Pewter City Gym. This is the Gym Leader Brock who is the man of rock hard determination. I will be your referee Jim." The man in the glasses announced as he bowed to the young trainers. Gaining her confidence, the brunette walked forward as her hands clenched into fists, looking at the gym leader with her eyes filled with determination.

"My name is Leaf. Brock, I'm here to challenge you to a battle!" Leaf exclaimed, pointing her finger at the gym leader. Brock whistled in surprise, appalled but admiring the fighting spirit of the young girl in front of him. He then turned around and walked to a section of the gym before he made a motion with his hand.

"Alright then. If that is what you think, Leaf. Stand on that platform and show me your determination." Leaf walked over to her side of the battlefield, giving a friendly wave to Red before facing Brock with a determined expression etched to her face. The raven haired teen waved back as he went to the bleachers, ready to watch the fight.

'Since this is a Rock type Gym Leader, Leaf pretty much has this in the bag. It's like someone dumped a barrel of luck on this girl.' Red thought as he felt some weight on his head, looking up to see Shinx who seemed anxious before he returned his gaze to the battlefield.

'Impressive. That's a nice aura she's giving.' Brock thought as he readied his Pokeball. The referee started the match, making the gym leader throw the ball in the air releasing an intense light that showed a blue dinosaur like Pokemon, which surprised both trainers. "Hope you're ready, Amaura!"

As the Pokemon nodded, the brunette pulled out her Pokedex as it scanned the creature, a beeping sound coming from it as a page comes up on the device.

_'__Amaura, The Tundra Pokemon, This calm Pokémon lived in a cold land where there were no violent predators like Tyrantrum.'_

The Pokemon, now known as Amaura, made a battle cry as it watched Leaf intently. The trainer leered the Pokemon as she fished in her bag.

'So it's a Rock and Ice type, huh? Budew won't fare well against it.' She thought as she threw her Pokeball, releasing Squirtle who came out of its shell and stared at its opponent with a determined expression. Both Pokemon stood still, as the trainers look at each other, as if daring the other to attack.

Felling impatient, Leaf quickly announced the first move. "Squirtle, Water Gun!"

Squirtle let out a blast of water at its opponent, hitting it and sending it a couple meter away from its initial position. Despite being hit by the super effective attack, Amaura stood tall and unfazed as it kept its gaze on its adversary, causing a smile on Brock's face.

"Awesome defense, Amaura. Now Thunder Wave." He ordered, making the Rock and Ice type glow with an intense yellow color before letting out an electric charge towards Squirtle.

"Squirtle, Water Gun once more!" She ordered loudly, making the Water type shoot another stream of water, hitting the electrical attack and resuming on its path towards Amaura, much to the gym leader's worry as he gritted his teeth.

"Amaura, dodge!" Brock commanded but it was too late as the move hit the Pokemon, knocking a lot further than the first time as the Pokemon fell to the ground. Determined not to lose, the Rock type attempted to get back on its feet before falling down again, shaking in pain.

"Amaura! What's wrong?!" Brock asked, seeing Amaura struggling to get up just to fall back onto the ground again.

Watching this, Leaf took the opportunity at hand as she commanded Squirtle. "Now Squirtle! Whilt it is down, bombard it with Water Gun!"

The Water-type inhaled before letting out a barrage of water attacks at Amaura that ultimately knocked it unconscious. Witnessing this event, Brock stood still frozen in shock as Leaf jumped up in joy at her first win in the match. She then turned to Red on the bleachers to see him give her a thumbs up and a smile which allowed her smile to grow even wider, trying her hardest not to squeal.

After a moment, Brock smiled as he returned his Pokemon and going into his pocket for a next one. He then enlarged the Pokeball, throwing it on the battlefield and releasing a rock with two arms with orange protrusions on its body. As it raised his fists to the air, it let out a blast of lightning to show its power causing everyone to flinch and stare in awe. Brock looked at his Pokemon before switching his gaze to Leaf, seeing her in astonishment before she hardened her expression which caused a smirk to come across his face as he mentally comments. 'Not willing to show weakness to your opponent, huh? Good. Just how I like it. Face your fears and challenges and never give up, Leaf. That's my battle style.'

"Understand that this is one of my strongest Pokemon. If you're not careful, you're gonna have a bad time." He warned before seeing Leaf quickly withdrawing Squirtle then releasing Budew. As it landed on the field, the Grass-type observed the room before it looked at its opponent, immediately smiling towards it which caught Geodude off guard and causing Leaf to hold back a chuckle.

"Growth! And don't stop!" She ordered confidently with Budew obeying and standing still, glowing intensely. A bead of sweat started to appear on the gym leader's forehead as he started to furrow his brows, his mind going to one goal. 'I need to end this quickly.'

"Geodude, use Rock Tomb now!" He silently made a command, the Rock-type hurled a bunch of rocks at Budew who was still glowing. As the stones got closer, the brunette smiled deviously before giving her Pokemon an order that caused the gym leader to sweat profusely.

"Mega Drain!" She said as her Pokemon obliged, opening its vines on its head and scattering a huge sphere of green energy that quickly dispersed and making its way to Geodude, enveloping it. Brock could only watch as the rocks hit Budew, doing nothing as it drained the energy of the Rock and Electric type until it fell to the ground, showing signs of no movement.

"Geodude is unable to battle. Budew wins the match. That makes Leaf the victor!" The referee made his announcement, ending the match. Excited for her first win, Leaf cheered jumping up and down before she ran and then wrapped her Budew in a hug. She then heard clapping from the stands, seeing Red walk to her with a smile on his face, Shinx walking right beside him. Overwhelmed with joy, she went and hugged him tightly, squeezing the oxygen out of the red capped teen as he weakly tapped her shoulder. Recognizing what she was doing, Leaf backed away blushing, clearing her throat as Brock went over to her with a smile on her face.

"Amazing job, Leaf! You did amazingly well in that battle. I was astonished by your skill and strength of your Pokemon. And for that, you earn the Boulder Badge!" The gym leader announced as he gave Leaf a badge in the shape of a stone and a small CD, which made the girl look at him skeptical.

Realizing this, Brock sighed then explained. "It's not a mixtape. That's a TM or Technical Machine, Leaf. It is a small CD like device that allows Pokemon to learn certain moves." He then pointed at the device. "That TM is the move for Rock Tomb." As he finished his statement, Leaf smiled as she put the device in her bag before looking at Red, who looked a bit uncomfortable.

"Now it's your turn, Red." She said, brimming with excitement as the red capped teen rubbed the back of his head, making a small uneasy chuckle. This did not unnoticed by Brock as he made a frown before quickly changing his expression to a smile as he walked up to the red capped teen.

"I guess you're my next challenger, kid. What's your name?" Brock said, receiving silence as an answer. Realizing that the situation is getting awkward, Leaf spoke up.

"His name is Red. Sorry, he doesn't talk much or should I say he doesn't talk at all." She said as she glared at Red, the teen looking away as he nodded. Brock scratched the back of his head before chuckling lightly.

"Ok then. Nice to meet you, Red. I just need to heal my Pokemon before we start our gym battle, ok?" The gym leader said, earning a nod from the scarlet eyed teen. As Brock left the room to heal his Pokemon, Red started to fidget uncomfortable which did not go unnoticed by Leaf.

"Red. Are you ok?" She asked as the teen shakily nods to answer.

'I'm alright, Leaf. Just a little nervous. This is my first gym battle. I'm both nervous and excited. What if I lose the match? What if I fail to meet Shinx and Kakuna's expectation? What if I-' Red thoughts were interrupted as Brock reentered the room, with a now healed set of Pokemon which did not make it easier for the teen's heart as it was pounding very loudly.

"Alright, Red. I'm ready when you are." Brock said, receiving a nod from the teen as both of them went to their respective platforms to initiate the battle. Leaf sat by the stands, with Budew on her lap, anticipating the match. As the referee made his announcement for the battle to begin, Brock started by throwing out Amaura who makes another battle cry as it patiently waits for its opponent. Shinx hops on the field, a hardened expression on its face as it leered the Rock type. As time went by, the Electric stood still as it eyed Red who gave it a nod. 'I can't fail them.'

"Amaura! Powder Snow, now!" Brock quickly ordered, making the Rock type let out a breath of icy cold wind that Shinx endured as it was pelted by the wind.

"Leer then Tackle." It obeyed, leaping forward which took Amaura and its trainer off guard as it swiftly got to them.

"Quick, another Powder Snow!" Brock commanded, the Rock and Ice type then exhaled a gust of wind at Shinx who nimbly dodged the attack before giving the Rock type a menacing glare that unnerved the Pokemon. Taking the opportunity, Shinx crashed into Amaura and knocking it to the floor before retreating to its side of the field. Leaf loudly cheered from the side, causing Red to feel slightly embarrassed as he pulled the brim of his hat to cover his face.

'The boy is like an open book. A sweating and nervous open book. However, I must say that his Pokemon is fast. I need to slow it down somehow.' Brock thought before making a command. "Rock Tomb now! Amaura!" Obeying its trainer's orders, Amaura stomps, sending a barrage of rocks that are falling on Shinx.

"Start charging then Baby Doll Eyes." Red silently ordered. The Electric type immediately dodged the stones, its body charging electricity along the way. As Shinx got close to Amaura, it gave the Pokemon the cutest pair of eyes before it started to emit a brief flash of light, blinding the Rock type.

'What? He knows Flash. He's good.' Brock thought as he witnessed his Pokemon getting knocked back from a Tackle from the Electric type, earning cheers from the stands from Leaf.

"Use Powder Snow! Now Amaura!" The gym leader ordered which Amaura obeyed, exhaling a gust of cold wind at Shinx who took the attack, not budging once as it shook the snow off its fur. Red was surprised for a moment, baffled at how his Pokemon endured the move a lot better than the previous time.

"Not enough juice, huh? Alright. Let's try Icy Wind." Brock commanded. Amaura exhaled another snowy gust of wind, this time a lot stronger as it travelled across the field in Shinx direction.

"Dodge, Leer then Tackle." Red said as the Electric obeyed, dodging the attack and leered at the Pokemon before bashing it.

"Once more." The scarlet eyed trainer said, as Shinx charged the Rock type with blinding speed as Brock quickly made a command.

"Quick, stop it with Icy Wind." Hearing the command, Amaura breathed another breath of cold wind at Shinx that managed to slow it down however, it was still running towards the Rock type, gathering electricity in its body.

"Wha?" Everyone can only say as the Electric body was surrounded by electricity as it tackled Amaura, sending the Pokemon to the wall of the gym behind Brock, falling on the floor unconscious. Leaf cheered loudly for Red as the gym leader stood shocked, looking behind him to see his Pokemon on the floor with a dent in the wall behind it. He sighed before returning his Pokemon, taking out another Pokeball from his pocket and gave Red a serious glare.

"Very impressive, Red. I can tell you and your Pokemon have a type of bond not most share. However…" He paused as he threw the ball, releasing his Geodude on the field.

"…Don't let it get to your head. There is still one Pokemon you need to beat and don't let that girl think that it's easy." He finished as Geodude made a battle cry that resounded through the gym. Red expression started to change to worry as he looked at Shinx, seeing it willing to fight despite being exhausted, much to the young trainer's worry. Noticing this again, Brock frowned as he watched his opponent's actions, seeing Shinx locked eyes with its trainer before the red capped teen then nodded, allowing it to continue fighting as it faced against Brock's Geodude.

"Rock Polish, Geodude!" The gym leader quickly ordered. Geodude's body started to glow as it rubbed its body, polishing it as it finished with a sheen on its rocky skin.

"Leer and Babydoll Eyes." Red ordered which made Shinx sprinted towards Geodude, ready to use its moves. The gym leader waited on the Pokemon to get close and as it did, Brock smiled. 'Perfect'

"Now Rock Tomb!" He ordered confidently as Geodude swiftly hurled rocks at its opponent, catching both his opponents off guard. Unable to dodge the projectiles, the Electric type got hit by the rock which send it flying to the middle of the field.

"Good! Now use Thunder Punch!" As it tried to get up, it got punched across the battlefield by the Rock type.

'I need to call it back.' Worried and losing his confidence, Red then tried to recall Shinx who gave him a look, causing the trainer to stop his action. For a moment, Red could only watch as his Pokemon gets knocked around, unable to dodge or cause damage to the Rock type. It then got knocked to his section of the battlefield, near to his feet as he bent down and rubbed its back.

"Shinx. You don't have to struggle anymore. You did well." Red tried to encourage it and attempt once again to recall but it got up and shrug him off, getting back to its feet and charged towards Geodude once more, yelling at the top of its lung. The young trainer's eyes widen as Brock made a command causing his Pokemon to wind its fist back and hit Shinx, causing the place to be filled with smoke. The last thing Shinx could see was Geodude punching it before it lost consciousness.

'_I won't lose. I can't lose…not now. He needs me.'_

As it said that, it tried to endure but was unable to as it eyes started to close. Red's eyes widened, almost as if he could hear it as the Electric type conveyed its final thoughts.

_'__I'm… sorry, Red…'_

It thought as it goes into the realm of unconsciousness.

**This was rough on my part. Writing this chapter was easy and hard at the same time. I honestly wanted Red to win but the author side of me was like, 'he will not get the message' and I had no choice. What I wanted to do is that I wanted a gym battle to be unlike any other battle. You learn things, you experience things and you grow. Like a stepping stone and the first one is always the most important and impactful. Enough of my rant, thanks for your reviews, views and likes and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**


	12. Chapter 11: Reconcilation

Devastated, that was the emotion that accompanied Red as he left the rocky building known as the Pokemon Gym. The brim of his cap was covering his eyes as he roam the streets of Pewter City, his loss against Brock fresh in his mind as he thought about how the battle transpired. After Shnx's defeat to Geodude, his Kakuna could not fair much in the match due to the Rock type's speed which managed to get it a quick victory although it had a few difficulties due to Red's quick thinking. As he was defeated, the raven haired teen slumped before he recalled his Pokemon, looking at the ground, frustrated with the events that just happened before he heard a slow clap.

"That was a fantastic battle! Your skills are impressive, Red. But you lack self-esteem and conviction. The moment you lost your willpower, you lost the battle, Red." The gym leader commented, walking over to the scarlet eyed teen and putting a hand on his shoulder, causing the teen to look at him as he continued. "Have confidence in yourself and your Pokemon and their abilities and they will take you far, even at times that things are not going to your favor."

As the words left the man's mouth, Leaf descended from the stands, putting her arm around Red before hugging him, which he was barely able to hug back as he looked at his Pokeballs on his belt before he heard the gym leader speak again.

"Just trust your Pokemon and train them and you will not have to worry about them." Brock said with a smile on his face. Despite his broken state, Red nodded which caused the gym leader to smile.

"I'll be here if you want to challenge me again. I'll be looking forward to it." He said before going to the back of his gym, leaving both of the teens in the silent room. As Leaf turned her head to Red, the memory subsided as he got back to reality, quickly dodging a random passerby on the street as they both continued to the Pokemon Center.

Worried, Leaf looked around, trying to find something that can be used as some sort of distraction. Her eyes landed on a huge building that has a stone symbol on its banner, causing a smile to appear on her face.

'The Pewter Museum, perfect.' She talked in her thoughts as she followed Red to the Pokemon Center. After healing his Pokemon, the teen look at his Pokeballs with a melancholic expression as he sighed sadly. Having enough of his sad mood, Leaf grabbed the teen's arm as she dragged him out of the red building, much to the confusion of her red capped companion as he looked at her with a surprised expression on his face.

"We're gonna go to the museum, Red! I wanna go and see the fossils that they have!" She said as she briskly walked towards the grey building with a wide smile on her face as she continued. "And you're coming with. And no grunts of disagreement."

As they entered the museum, both teens look with marvel and surprise in their eyes as they observed the entrance, seeing various discoveries and sculptures as they journeyed to the receptionist.

"Welcome to the Pewter City museum. How may I help you two today?" She said before she noticed Leaf's arms locked with Red's, causing her to grin mischievously and looked slyly at the duo before she composed herself. She then covered her mouth as she eyed the teens.

"Can we get tickets for two please?" Leaf asked.

"No problem. That will be $100." The lady said, hiding the grin on her face as the brunette took some money out of her pocket only to be stopped by Red who quickly went into his pocket and gave the receptionist the amount. Noticing this, Leaf pouted as she glared at the red capped teen, who looked at her in confusion, as they pass the receptionist who was giggling uncontrollably as soon as their backs were turned and too far to hear her. 'They're so cute together. To be young and in love.'

"C'mon, Red! I wanted to pay for that." The brunette said, receiving a shrug from the raven haired teen. They walked around the museum, seeing different discoveries like various scales, gems and some bones. After a few uninteresting exhibits, the two teens came across a fossil with a shell on it which immediately caught their attention as they marveled at the relic before one of the employees standing beside it explained to them. "Like it? This is a Helix fossil. It contains the DNA cells of Omanyte. It is a prehistoric Pokemon that is known for its sturdy shell and its strange way of swimming by adeptly twisting its 10 tentacles."

Leaf was in awe while Red diverted his attention to another fossil across from it, making his way towards it. He then noticed the employee standing next to it, catching the person's attention by waving at them and then pointing at the display.

"That is a Dome fossil. It has Kabuto cell in it. Kabuto is Water and Rock type Pokemon that is known for using the eyes on its back to avoid predators and hiding on the seafloor." She explained to the teen, receiving a nod from Red as he observed the fossil.

"You seem like you've seen this before. This isn't your first time, isn't it?" She asked with a smile, receiving another nod from the scarlet eyed teen as he tipped his hat to her. He then heard Leaf calling for him as she briskly came to his direction before looking at the fossil on display.

"Oh! What's this?" She said while gawking at the exhibit, allowing the employee to explain again. After a half an hour of checking the various types of fossils, rocks and gems, the two teens took a break, ordering and sitting in the cafeteria section as they're enjoying their food.

"Man, this tour was great so far! Don't you agree, Red?" Leaf asked as she took a bite of her food to get a quick nod from Red which made her smile. The red capped teen noticed this, giving her a confused look which caused her to giggle.

"I'm glad that you're doing better. You look broken after that battle." She stated, looking at her food. Hearing that, Red had a melancholic look on his face as he eyed the Pokeballs on his waist. He then grabbed one of them and pointed it to the ground, releasing Shinx who just slumped on the ground. Instantly realizing its mood, Red left his lunch and went into his bag to take out a bottle of juice and a bowl and poured the beverage into the bowl, giving it to the Pokemon. The Electric type eyed him with an expression of confusion before Red started to pet its fur, causing the Pokemon to purr as it felt better and started drinking the juice.

"Don't worry, Shinx. Next time, we'll show him who is boss." The teen stated quietly but confidently, Shinx nodded in agreement before continuing to drink the berry juice. Feeling a bit better and gaining some confidence, the Pokemon started happily nuzzling itself onto Red's cheeks. They both then heard a clicking sound, turning to see Leaf giggling as she held up her Pokegear.

"I got a picture! You two are so cute!" She commented, trying her best not to squeal while looking at the picture. Groaning at the brunette antics, Red returned to his seat and continued eating his food. When they were finished, Leaf noticed a grain of rice stuck on the scarlet eyed teen's face, raising her brow until an idea popped into her head.

'I wonder.'

Grinning mischievously, she started getting close to Red with her eyes half closed and her lips puckered, causing the teen to retreat while looking at her confused as a thought came across his mind. 'What on earth is she doing?'

"Hey, Red. I wanna say something to you." She said in a seductive tone, closing the distance between her and Red's faces to the point that their noses are touching. A pink line started to appear across the raven haired teen's face as he tried to look away only to be stopped by Leaf's hand holding his face in place. He then closed his eyes, accepting his fate as he felt a finger on his chin, slowly opening his eyes to see the brunette eating a rice grain that was stuck on his face.

'Oh! It was just a grain of rice on my face.' He thought, releasing a breath he didn't knew he held which causing Leaf to pout as she fold her arms and furrowed her brows.

"You know, Red. Not every guy gets the chance of having a pretty girl touch noses and take a grain of rice from their face. Why not a thank you?" She stated in frustration, folding her arms and looking away. 'But you decided to do it though' Red mentally rebutted before he put his hand on his chin, contemplating before he groaned and then agreed, opening his mouth and about to speak until he heard a voice from the distance, making Leaf groan in an annoyed matter.

"If it isn't Leafy?" A teen with blondish brown hair and purple eyes slammed his hand on the table that they're sitting on, surprising Shinx and Red as they tried to stop the food bowls from toppling over before they both stood up and watched the boy look at the brunette with a smirk on his face. The teen and his Pokemon could feel the malicious and dark aura from Leaf which caused both of them to step back and sit down, trying their best to act natural and avoid any form of alteration or any attention to themselves.

"Nolan." The brunette said with all the toxic that could be presented in her voice.

"What's a beautiful girl like you doing in a rock museum like this, Leaf?" He stated as he sat on the table, brushing his hair which got some of the girls in the museum apart from Leaf, who had the most bored and uninterested face as she looked at him as she answered his question.

"I'm sightseeing the displays, Nolan. What would anyone be doing in a museum apart from that?"

"Well, I came here to see my girl. Why haven't you called me or anything, Leaf? I thought you said you wanted us to journey together, babe." He said, putting his fingers under Leaf's chin and giving her an alluring grin as he got closer to her face, much to her disgust. Feeling uncomfortable, she retreated her head and smacked away Nolan's hand.

"One: No, I did not. Two: We are not a couple. And three: Don't call me babe, Nolan." She said, pointing her finger at the teen before quickly finishing her food and walking to Red's direction, only to be stopped by Nolan, who grabbed her arm which causd him to rub the spot that she hit.

"C'mon, babe. Don't be like that. What happened to you, Leaf?"

"Nothing happened, Nolan. I'm always me. You should realize that you're a jerk." She went around him only for Nolan to spin around and hug her in his arms.

"Stop playing hard to get, Leaf. It doesn't fit you."

"You know, Nolan. There's this thing called no. You should read up the definition when you have the chance." The brunette said, pulling herself away from Nolan's grip and looking him in the eye.

"Now, if you would excuse me, I was spending some time with my friend over there." She said, pointing at Red who was hoping to be ignored through the ordeal. Leaf went up to him, grabbing his arm before going out of the cafeteria area, as the scarlet eyed teen just immediately realized something. 'Did she just call me her friend?'

He then turned his head to Leaf who winked at him with a smile on her face. He was about to smile along with her until he saw Nolan standing in front of them with his arms folded, causing them to immediately stop and almost stumbling forward.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, bub?" He said to Red who gave him a confused expression as Leaf rolled her eyes. The blonde then grit his teeth as he approached the red capped trainer and grabbed Leaf away from him before knocking off the teen's hat. As he walked up to stare into Red's face, he flinched and backed away as he took a glance at the raven haired teen's crimson eyes which was hidden in his hair.

"Dude, what the hell is with those eyes?! You look like a damn demon!" Nolan yelled, terrified of the raven haired teen which causing everyone within the museum to hear his outburst. Having everyone's attention on him, Red felt uncomfortable as he quickly hid his eyes in his black hair and searched for his cap.

"You must've hypnotize Leaf with those eyes. No way would she go with a freak like you. Have you looked in a mirror?" He continued, looking at Red with a disgusted expression. Leaf watched the raven haired teen worriedly as he endured insults from Nolan.

"Nolan, you need to stop." She protested however it was in vain as the blonde pushed her to the ground and continued his verbal assault. Red simply sighed and ignored him, walking over to help Leaf up from the ground and also picking up his hat off the floor. As he dusted off his cap, Nolan smirked as he took up a soda and walked up to the raven haired teen, much to the worry of Leaf as she tried to stop him. Despite her attempts, she failed as the blond proceeded to chuck the soda onto Red's face, causing his shirt to be soaked before taking a cup of smoothie from a table and then pouring it on the red capped teen.

"You know, strawberry looks good on you." He teased as everyone in the museum laughed at the raven haired teen who simply walked away, wiping the smoothie and soda off his hair and face. Leaf was about to follow Red until she saw him suddenly stop in his tracks.

'This will only continue if I don't step up for myself.' He continued thinking before turning his gaze to Leaf who was looking at him worriedly.

'One way or another.' Finishing his thoughts, Red then laid his eyes on Shinx who looked visibly frustrated as it glared at Nolan, which earned a chuckle from the silent teen.

"Hey Shinx." Red quietly said, getting the Pokemon's attention.

"You must be pretty frustrated after that gym battle and it's not healthy to bottle it up." The raven haired teen paused, releasing a sigh as he looked at the Electric-type with a smirk on his face and continued.

"How about we release some of that frustration, huh? Vent out a little?" As Red finished his statement, Shinx smiled and nodded as it leaped off his arms and positioned itself in front of him, glaring menacingly at Nolan. Understanding what this means, Nolan laughed heartily before he turn his gaze from the Electric type to its trainer.

"Do you really want a battle, you freak?!" The blonde taunted, receiving a nod from Red who put his cap on his head. Realizing the silent teen's request, Leaf's eyes widened before she ran over to him, holding him into a huddle, much to the frustration of Nolan.

"Are you sure about this, Red? Nolan is stronger than you think." She stated receiving a confident nod from the scarlet eyed teenager as he walked off towards his opponent.

They both then go to a battlefield on the outside of the museum, followed by spectators who were cheering loudly for Nolan. As they both got to their respective sides, the referee came and then he announced. "This battle is a 2 on 2 battle between Nolan and the…red capped kid-"

"His name is Red!" Leaf announced, giving the man a vicious glare that made her aquamarine eyes look darker which frightened the man as he cleared his throat before continuing. Nolan looked at the girl with a frown before turning to Red, clenching his fists as a thought came through his mind. 'What did he do to you, Leaf? What kind of mind games did he play on her?'

"And uh, Red. Substitutions are not allowed. Is there any objections?" The referee questioned.

Both teens shook their heads as they made eye contact. Noticing Nolan's cheeky smirk, Leaf clasped her hands as she looked worriedly at Red who has a serious expression on his face. 'I hope you know what you're doing, Red.'

"Good! Now let the battle commence." The referee concluded, raising his hands and then descending them which signaled the start of the battle.

"Hope you're ready to lose, red eyes!" He said, throwing a Pokeball into the air which released a brown Pokemon with a pointy nose with a twig on its head. "Go Nuzleaf!"

"Nuzz!" It cried as it beats its chest. Red thought for a moment before he commanded Shinx to retreat, much to its surprise. As it reluctantly went to the raven haired teen's side, the young trainer took out a Pokeball which released Kakuna onto the field, causing Nolan to laugh hysterically and Leaf to feel more worried.

"You're seriously fighting me with a Kakuna?! This is hilarious. It's either you're just plain stupid or you don't understand Pokemon at all." He resumed, holding his sides as he slowly descended on the floor. Despite the insults and laughter throughout the crowd, Red stood still waiting on his opponent, unfazed by the verbal assault. Leaf noticed this, watching the silent teen's behavior as he waited for Nolan to calm down.

'Red, what are you thinking in that head of yours?' She thought, interrupted as she saw Red looked at her, winking at her before focusing his gaze on his blonde opponent. As Nolan calmed down, he looked at Red with a smirk on his face before motioning him to make the first move.

"Harden." Red calmly commanded as Kakuna stood still, its skin strengthened as it shined in the sunlight. Leaf realized his strategy as she started to cheer him on, much to the frustration of Nolan who gritted his teeth in jealously.

'How dare he?' He thought as he clenched his fists, looking at Red with pure malice in his eyes.

"Nuzleaf, now use Pound!" Nolan ordered darkly, making Nuzleaf charged forward quickly to attack the Bug type. The Grass Pokemon then punched Kakuna, knocking it away from its initial position.

"Harden." Red commanded again, as the Cocoon continued to strengthen it skin as it started to sheen.

"What's wrong? Is Harden the only move you know?" Nolan teased, everyone in the ground laughing with him.

"Now Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf!" As he made his command, Nuzleaf threw a barrage of sharp leaves at Kakuna, which resulted in the attack being bounced off its hard skin, much to Red's glee.

"The same strategy with Brock, huh? Not really a bad strategy." Leaf said to herself as she observed the battle in front of her.

"It's an excellent strategy if you ask me. Especially for a Pokemon like Kakuna." A voice said behind her, startling her as she turned around to see Brock with his arms crossed. Various people noticed the gym leader as a commotion was made, causing the two battlers to be distracted at the battle as they turned their attention to the Rock type specialist. Noticing the man who beat him, Red started to lose confidence which caused Brock to frown upon noticing it. 'C'mon, Red. Remember, an unshakable will.'

"Your boyfriend is a lot smarter than you think. Honestly, I barely won the fight that we had." He commented as he observed the fight before him, making Leaf look at him astonished with a blush on her face as he gave her a wink. As this was happening, Red took deep breaths to calm his composure before turning back his attention to Nolan, which made a smile go on the gym leader's face as he noticed this.

"Just watch." He then watched the battle as Leaf tried to hold in her blush as she bashfully mumbled in a low tone as she connected her fingers. "…he's… not my boyfriend…"

As the battle continues, Nuzleaf started to pant as its movements became slower and more sluggish, which started to surprise everyone but Leaf and Brock.

"Nuzleaf try another pound." Nolan commanded in frustration as the Pokemon hits Kakuna with another strike before collapsing to the floor, much to everyone's confusion. Wide eyed and in awe, the referee went to Nuzleaf, searching its body.

"N-Nuzleaf is unable to battle! Kakuna wins!" He announced

"Nice one, Red!" Leaf cheered loudly before seeing the reactions of everyone around her. She saw the mixed and surprised expressions of the crowd as they looked at the battlefield.

"What's going on? How did Nuzleaf lose?" Nolan complained as he looked at the unconscious Pokemon with a confused expression.

"What's going on?"

"Did he cheat?"

"Is this staged?"

"I think the kid with the red cap cheated."

"Something's wrong here."

"Yeah! He did. He was smiling the entire battle."

Everyone started to argue amongst themselves about Red's victory causing Leaf to be frustrated until a loud voice resonated through the crowd which caused them to be quiet.

"SILENCE!"

Brock came to the battlefield and looked towards the crowd.

"No cheating has been done in this battle. I can assure you. Red took advantage of Kakuna's Harden and increased its defense. And since Kakuna is capable of moving its pincer, he used that opportunity and skillfully let it attack Nuzleaf when it got close with a Poison Sting, writtling its defenses until the result, as you see here." He explained to the congregation, which calmed down some of the spectators in the crowd. Feeling frustrated, Nolan returned his Nuzleaf before taking out a Great Ball from his belt, gritting his teeth as he glared at Red. As he gripped the ball tighter, he looked at his opponent as a thought crossed his mind. 'I will crush him into dust. He will not win this battle.'

"Go Houndour!" Nolan threw the Pokeball in the air, releasing a black dog with a red snout onto the field who exhaled red embers from its mouth as it glared viciously at Red.

"Nice job, Kakuna." The red capped teen returned his Kakuna before looking at Shinx, who was brimming with anticipation as it quickly came unto the arena, making eye contact with its opponent. As the referee lifted his hands which signaled the start of the next match, Nolan immediately made a command, catching everyone off guard. "Houndour, use Ember!"

Houndour shoot a barrage of fire bullets at Shinx, who nimbly dodged the attack.

"Start charging until Houndour attacks." Red ordered silently, as the Electric-type absorbs the electricity within the air as into its body, creating a veil of lightning around the Pokemon.

"What is he- oh no." Nolan realized the raven haired teen's plans as he had a thought in mind.

"Smog now!" The blond commanded as Houndour exhaled a cloud of smoke that enveloped the field, causing some of the spectators along with Red to cough.

"Tackle." As that one word left his mouth, Shinx started roaring before running with its body still covered in electricity as it sprinted across the field able to slightly see the Fire type through the smoke. The Electric Pokemon immediately tackled Houndour, resulting in a scream to resonate through the air or all to hear. As the black poisonous mist cleared, both Pokemon stood across from each other, not losing eye contact.

'What just happened? That's the second time I saw that attack now.' Red thought, taking out his Pokedex and pointing it at Shinx. The device screen lit up, showing some new information about Shinx but one thing stood out to Red when the device showed a new move called Spark, much to his surprise.

'Was that move Spark just now?' His thoughts continue as he looked at both Pokemon to see that Houndour panting heavily as it struggles to stand. Leaf clasped her hands together before she felt a hand on her shoulder, seeing Brock give her a nod before he opened his mouth. "Like I told you, just watch."

"Howl now!" Nolan commanded as he balled his fists, looking angrily at Red as his thoughts spiraled out of control. 'I can't lose this.' As the battle ensues, the blonde tried his best but was only able to watch as his Houndour could barely keep up with Shinx's agility.

"Leer." Red said, keeping a calm and cool demeanor as he watched Shinx let out a menacing glare at the Houndour, unnerving the Pokemon before a thought came to his mind. 'Hmm… Let's try this new move.'

"Now use the move that you learnt, Spark." Shinx then made a battle cry before charging Houndour, surrounding itself with electricity as it sprint towards the Fire type, knocking it back from its initial position. Seeing this, Nolan started to slowly lose composure as the fight progresses which Brock quickly notice as he made a frown to the blonde. Noticing this, Leaf raised a brow as she looked between the gym leader and the battle before she heard the man's voice. "This is what I'm speaking of, Leaf. Gym battles are much more than getting stronger and type advantages, it comes with skill. My gym allows the trainers to have an unbreakable will, even in times of trouble and loss. Have defense in your mental fortitude as well as your faith in your Pokemon."

As the man said this, Leaf then realized what he was saying to Red, which caused the man to smile.

"Red did not lose the battle because he was weaker, he lost the battle because he lost confidence in his Pokemon. When you have a will and determination that's unshakable, you start to become calm and notice things, your opponent's strengths, weaknesses, patterns and more. The more you notice is the more you catch on and be able to utilize that against them to the point that even a strong opponent, despite of type advantage, can be beaten." As Brock finished his speech, the brunette looked in awe before she turned back to the battle between Nolan and Red, the raven haired teen having a calm expression with the blonde having the complete opposite.

'I can't be losing like this. It's impossible.' The blonde thought as he made another command, just for Shinx swiftly dodged the Ember and countered with a Tackle, making his anger and frustration increase as he tugged on his hair.

'This battle should be done with me as the victor and Leaf in my arms.' Another thought came as he heard Leaf cheering from the crowd for Red, who had a calm composure on his face throughout the whole battle.

'I should be the prodigy, the undefeated hero. How am I getting beaten by some peasant? A common person with unusually demonic eyes.' His thoughts were interrupted as his Houndour hit the floor, knocked unconscious which caused his thoughts to come to a stop.

"Houndour is unable to continue battling! The winner is Shinx. Thus, the victory goes to Red!" The referee announced loudly. Hearing this, Nolan stood still before falling to his knees with a dejected expression on his face. He watched as some of the spectators from the crowd cheered for the silent teen who put his cap over his face to hide his blush before he went over to Shinx and picked it up. Red then made his way towards Nolan before extending his hand towards the blonde who looked at it.

'W-What do you want? You won the battle, you damn bastard. Want to humiliate me more?' His thoughts started to escalate until he got up, glaring at the red capped trainer who beat him with eyes of pure hatred.

'There's no way I lost to this guy. No way!' He thought as he ascended his hand and then went to punch Red in the face. When his fist was about to connect to the red capped trainer, it was stopped by Brock who looked at him with a face etched with disappointment.

"Your name is Nolan, right? Understand that it's alright to lose. You can't win every battle but you can't want to hurt your opponents over something so little. Just train next time so you can beat him." The gym leader lectured the blonde who pulled his arm and started to walk away. As he made his way to the exit of Pewter City Museum, he looked back and saw Red petting his Shinx before he was tackled into a hug by Leaf, causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground with the brunette latching onto him. Seeing this, he clenches his fists as he went through the door before he bumped into Brock once again, who was looking at him with a frown. Angered more by the presence of the gym leader and him before the man mentioned something that stopped the trainer. "Do you now realize what I saying to you during our gym battle, Nolan?"

Hearing this, Nolan's eye twitched before he continued out of the building, mumbling incoherent words that fade in the distance. Brock looked at the teen as he departed until he turned his gaze to Leaf nuzzling Red chest.

"I can't believe you won! You beat Nolan! Even Brock couldn't beat him!" She exclaimed, causing the silent teen red's eyes to widen as he turned to the gym leader who nodded. Seeing the smile on Brock's face, Red started to understand what the Rock specialist was saying as the statement went through his mind once more.

"The moment you lost your confidence, you lost the battle. Just have more faith in yourself, Red."

As the day ended, Red and Leaf made their way to the Pokemon Center with Shinx resting comfortably in his arms, the brunette stealing glances at her capped companion.

"Sooo how was the tour in the Museum?" Leaf asked nervously as she clasped her hands behind her back and started fidgeting. As she asked her question, Red then took her hand and shook it eagerly as a sign of thanks, making the brunette blush.

"That means you like it then?" She asked, receiving a quick nod from the scarlet eyed teen. Leaf smiled as she saw the silent teen petting his Shinx with a smile on his face. Red then remembered something as he went into his pocket and took out a bracelet made up of various gems which he gave to her, putting in around her wrist as he crossed his fingers. 'Let's hope she likes it.'

"T-This… is for… me?" Leaf was barely able to word the question out of her mouth as she receives a nod from Red. She looked at the bracelet on her hand, watching the various gems on it shine in the moonlight. Smiling, she then turn her head from Red as she tries her best to hold back her blush before she got an idea, a smirk appearing on her face which her companion noticed as he started to sweat. 'I don't like what that smirk means. If there's one thing I realize with this girl, whenever she smirks, it's bad news."

"If you really like it that much then you should thank me." Leaf said bashfully as she puffed her chest. Red looked at her in surprise before he started to slam his hand on his face, groaning exhaustingly. He then put his fingers on his chin, wondering what to do. 'Do…do I have to do this? But she helped me feel better… but… I dunno…'

The brunette look at him contemplating for a minute before she sighed in disappointment, hiding it as she scratched her head.

"Sorry, Red. It was a joke. You don't have to-" She said until she heard something that interrupted her, causing her to stop speaking immediately.

"…Thanks, Leaf…"

As the words resonated in the air, Leaf stood motionless as she stared at Red, starting to come closer towards the teen, who was getting confused as he slightly stepped back, until she stood close enough that their noses are almost touching.

"Say that again." She said, her eyes gleaming as she gazed at the silent teen. Red pulled his hat on his face as he tried to walk away only to be stopped by her hands holding him in place, much to the teen's worry.

"You're not getting away onto you say it again, cherry eyes." She said adamantly, looking at him with a serious expression and tightening her grip on him.

'Do I really have to?' Red thought, trying to escape her grip only to be held into place by Leaf. After a minute of trying, he then gave up, sighing before he prepared himself again. 'This is so embarrassing.'

"…t-thanks…" He muttered.

"Louder and just like last time." The brunette said, earning a groan from the red capped trainer.

"Thanks, Leaf." He attempted again, saying it clearer this time as he was annoyed at this point.

"That's better." Leaf said with a huge smile, letting go of him and pulling out her Pokegear.

"I got it on recording. A monumental moment for the great detective Leaf!" After she finished her statement, Red started to sweat as he lunged after the device, trying to grab the device but missing as she moves it away from him. She then put the Pokegear in her dress as she stood triumphantly with her hands on her hips. "Try it. I dare you."

Red looked at her before clicking his teeth and making his way to the Pokemon Center.

'You win this round.' He thought as she joined him with a victory smirk, latching onto his arm as they went to the red building.

"You know, I wouldn't mind if you tried, Red." She said as she guided his arm to her waist, getting a red line from the red capped teen's face as he tried to pull away his arm, only for her to hold him in place as they entered the center. 'Another thing I realized about her is that she is stubbornly strong.'

Both of them approached Nurse Joy, asking for their Pokemon to be healed and a room for the night. As they prepared themselves for some sleep, Leaf's Pokegear rang, earning a groan from the female as she begrudgingly answered the call.

"Hello…"

"Hi there, Leaf! Guess who it is?"

"K-Kimberley?!"

"Yep, gurl! In the flesh or should I say voice? Who cares? How are you doing, Leaf?"

"You know, started my journey and just got my first badge from Pewter City."

"Cool, me too. I got my first badge from Erika!" As Kimberley stated this, Leaf's eyes immediately got wide eyed as he counted on her fingers before she opened her mouth.

"Wait. Isn't Erika the fourth gym leader of Kanto? How did you get her gym badge so fast? How strong are you, Kimberley? Didn't you just started?" Her behavior earned a chuckle from her friend as Kimberley started to explain.

"Actually, it depends on the number of badges that you have, Leaf. They fight at your level according to that. Although, Brock would officially be the first gym leader to most because Professor Oak is in Pallet Town."

"Oh really? I didn't know that."

"Yeah! The more you know, huh? Hey, we should meet up at Cerulean City!"

"Yeah, sure! I'd love too!"

"Awesome! Let's meet up in a couple days, Leaf."

"A couple days?!"

"Yeah, we'll meet up in like two or three days from now."

"Two or three days? Uhhh… I don't know…" She answered as she looked at Red who was sleeping soundly with Shinx on his head, laying down comfortably.

"What? You have a boyfriend or something?" As Kimberley said this, Leaf started to blush as she made incoherent sentences as she looked at the slumbering teen in her room.

"Don't tell me it's Nolan?" As soon as that statement came out of Kimberley mouth, all blush and nervousness left the brunette's body as she stated emotionlessly. "Not in a million years, Kim. Even if we're fossils."

As she said this, the two girls laughed before Kimberley whined again.

"C'mon Leaf! We haven't met each other in months, Leaf. Pleeeeaaasssseee."

"O…Ok." Leaf sighed in defeat as she glanced once again at her snoozing roommate with a sad expression. She went to his bedside, moving Shinx off his face and lightly brushing his hair as he slept peacefully. After a while, she then went to her bed and started to drift to sleep.

Leaf woke up to see Red emerging from the shower with a towel on his head. Noticing that the brunette has woken up, he smiled and waved at her before putting on his jacket.

"Morning Red." She mumbled, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. After she took a shower, she then remember the conversation between her and Kimberley before she looked at Red, who was putting on his shoes.

"Hey Red." She started, gaining the silent teen attention as he turned to her. She bit her lip, trying to find a way to relay the news to the teen as he looked at her worriedly.

'I have to tell him sooner or later.' She thought as she took a deep breath before looking at Red with a determined expression.

"I'm sorry, Red. I really wanted to help you train for the rematch." Leaf said melancholically as she packed up her stuff before she continued. "But I have a friend that I have to meet at Cerulean City in a couple days and I have to go there soon. So…"

Despite being saddened by the news he just heard and knowing possibly what she is implying, Red went over to the girl and put his hand on her shoulder, which stopped her from continuing. As she looked up to him, she saw him smiling at her, earning a smile from the brunette. They then went to eat before they exited the Pokemon Center making their way towards the other side of the city.

'Why does this have to end? Why couldn't stupid Brock have lost the match? Why didn't stupid Red have a Pokemon that was super effective?" Leaf thought as she tried her best to slow her pace as they journeyed towards Route 3, turning her gaze to the raven haired teen as they reached the gate. 'I'm gonna miss him and his red eyes. Possibly the only person so far that sees me for me and not anything I have.'

"Farewell and thanks, Red." Leaf silently said as he waved to her, saying a silent bye to her. Leaf stood still before tears started to swell in her eyes, threatening to come out. She then ran at top speed and tackled the silent teen into a bear hug, nuzzling her head in his jacket which he returned. She then quickly kissed him on his cheek before running towards Route 3, leaving a very confused and blushing Red.

"Till we meet again, Red." She said with a slight blush, waving before going off into the distance. Shaking himself from his stupor, Red waved at her before going towards the other border of the city. After a half an hour later, Red arrived into Viridian Forest as he released his Pokemon and then took the time to inhale the air around him and listen to the sounds of wild Pokemon in the grass. After he stretched, he looked at his partners, who were getting anxious until he started to slowly make his way to the deeper parts of the forest as he opened his mouth and announced.

"Alright, guys. It's time to train for your rematch." He announced as his Pokemon cheered and begin their relentless training with one goal in mind: to defeat the Gym Leader of Pewter City: Brock.

**It's done. It's done! Finally! This chapter was not supposed to take this long honestly and I'm kinda surprised that it did. Making Nolan was kind of a pain but it was worth it. I hope you guys like the fact that so far the Gym Leaders are more than just bosses, or small steps what I should say. I always thought they gave the vibe of teachers or like people who should give off stuff more than a TM and a badge. Oh yeah, Leaf will be gone for now but she will be back soon. Well, I'm glad that you guys love the story so far and thanks for the reviews for the story. Hope you guys like the chapter. Enigma out!**


	13. Chapter 12: A Rock Crushing Rematch

Within the trees of Viridian Forest, wildlife and its inhabitants remain in quietude as the sounds of conflict and battle resonated through the air as another Pokemon to collapse to the ground, tired and unconscious. Its combatant barely stood victoriously as it was exhausted, shaking and breathing heavily until it descended to the floor to catch its breath. It then felt a hand on its head as it looked into the eyes of the owner who smiled and said. "Good job! We're now finished."

As he said this, a powerful wind went through the forest, riling up the wild Pokemon as they had no choice but to endure the strong breeze as the person stood unfazed as he continued to gaze down at the Pokemon until he opened his mouth again.

"It's time."

As the morning light shone above the clouds and onto Pewter City, Brock sat in his gym, meditating as he started to recollect the memories of challenges that he had received in the week to rethink his weaknesses and battle strategy until his mind went off to a red capped trainer.

'Ah yes. Red. I remember that kid. He has potential.' Brock thought as he began to wonder where the young trainer was. It has been three days since the match between him and Red which nearly resulted in the silent teen victory. As the gym leader was immersed in his thoughts, his meditation was interrupted as he heard the doors to the gym open, revealing a young trainer in an open red jacket and jeans with his face concealed by his cap who entered into the gym.

"Red?" Brock realized as the silent trainer made his way to the battlefield, a Pokeball in his hand as he raised his cap over one of his eyes. The gym leader smiled as he observed the teen's action, his mind making a mental comment. 'It seems that you have changed, kid. Let's see if your will has been hardened as well.'

"Ah, you've returned, Red. I'm correct to assume that you would like a rematch?" Brock stated, earning a quick nod from Red. The gym leader walked towards his side of the field as they both waited for the referee to initiate the match. The man assumed his position as he lift his flags and announced, looking at the red capped teen.

"As you remembered, challenger Red. This will be a two on two battle. Substitutions are allowed. Any objections?" Red shook his head as the referee smiled and lowered his flags.

"In that case, let's start the match!" The referee announced, allowing the two trainers to throw their Pokeballs in the air, revealing Amaura and Shinx who both immediately glare at each other as they await their trainers' commands.

After a moment of waiting, Brock quickly made the first command. "Amaura, use Powder Snow!" Hearing its trainer, Amaura breathed a gust of cold wind at Shinx.

"Dodge then leer." The Electric type quickly evaded the attack and then quickly went to the Rock type, giving it an intense glare that flinched it before it quickly returned to its side, much to Brock's worry. 'He didn't train for nothing. Shinx is fast but that doesn't mean I don't have a few tricks.'

"Snap out of it, Amaura. And use Rock Tomb!" As he finished his command, Amaura made its battle cry as it summoned rocks from the ground which headed in Shinx's direction. The teen and his Pokemon waited for the rocks come closer before he opened his mouth.

"Jump on the rocks and use Spark." Red silently uttered, causing the Electric type to sprint towards, hopping on each one before surrounding itself with electricity and charging towards Amaura. "

Powder Snow quick!" As Brock quickly made his command, the Rock type exhaled another blast of cold air, which was speedily evaded by Shinx who dashed to the side and tackled the prehistoric Pokemon, sending it flying towards one of the rocks on the field.

"Get up, Amaura! Quickly!" After Brock's plea, Amaura tried its best to get on its feet, making a battle cry as it stood confidently, earning a smile from its trainer. 'Awesome, Amaura.'

"Now use Powder Snow." The Pokemon quickly exhaled another icy breeze at Shinx, who had no chance of escaping the move.

"Charge now." Red uttered, lowering the brim of his cap and watched as his Pokemon absorb electricity from the air.

'Smart. Using the effects of Charge to increase his defenses to allow him to endure Powder Snow better. They didn't only get stronger, they got smarter as well. He's understanding his moves and he's making sure to keep his cool.' Brock mentally commented as he watched the silent teen's strategy which caused the gym leader to smile as he admired the young trainer's confidence and skill.

'Guess I gotta push it up a notch' He finished his thought as he changed his face to a serious expression.

"Now Icy Wind!" Brock ordered loudly, making Amaura release a stronger gust of wind at the Electric-type. The gym leader saw a smirk on Red's face as Shinx stopped charging and nimbly dodged the blast of cold wind and gave the Rock-type a menacing glare which scared it. The red capped teen looked at the rock before his eyes widened, getting an idea as he turned his gaze towards his Pokemon who dodged another Rock Tomb attack.

"Shinx, spark on the rocks." Red muttered, as Shinx obliged and surrounded itself in an electric veil as it tackled the rock stuck to the ground, making them fly towards Amaura. As the rock travelled, Brock quickly gave the Rock-type commands to dodge every stone projectiles which it tried to do for the most part, freezing some of the stones.

"Charge now while it's distracted." Red uttered silently as Shinx once again started to charge itself while its opponent continue to dodge and avoid the rocks. After a few moments of dodging rock after rock, it got hit by a boulder which staggered it.

"Now Spark." Red said, as Shinx started to sprint towards Amaura, catching it off guard and bashing the Pokemon off the field and into the wall, much to Brock's surprise as he looked back at the Pokemon.

"Amaura is unable to battle! The winner goes to Shinx!" The referee announced as he raised and drop his arms.

'Déjà vu. Now here comes the real problem.' Red thought as he turned his gaze to Shinx who was breathing heavily and barely able to stand. Noticing this, Red went on the field and picked up Shinx and carry it to his side of the battlefield before he laid it down in his bag as he continued the match.

"I gotta say, Red. You got me there." Brock commented as he returned Amaura into its Pokeball as he took out another Pokeball.

"But it's not over yet. You have one more Pokemon to face and you should know that it's not something to mess with. Go Geodude!" He roared as he threw the ball with all his might onto the field, revealing the Alolan Geodude. Shinx fidgeted, adamant to face it as it tried to get out of its bag only for Red to stop it.

"Don't worry, Shinx. Just rest for now. And watch closely." The teen stood up as he turned his back to the Electric-type, who looked at him before it reluctantly gave up.

"There's someone who wants this battle more than you do." Red silently said as he chucked his Pokeball in the air, revealing a yellow Pokemon with two huge stingers for arms and wings that made it ascend to the air as it glared down at Geodude. Brock looked at his opponent as one word left his mouth. "Beedrill."

Beedrill flew around the gym until it laid eyes on its trainer before it rushed and hugged him.

"Hey, Beedrill, glad to see you too buddy. Hope you're doing ok?" Red muttered as the Bug-type nodded, causing the teen face to harden. "Are you ready for this, Beedrill?"

Beedrill looked at its trainer before ascending from the ground and descending on the rocky field as it let out a battle cry.

"I have to say, Red. I'm impressed that your Kakuna has evolved and also I can see that you take care wonderful care of your Pokemon seeing that earlier display of affection. That's rare for a rookie, especially with a Beedrill." Brock commented as he put his fingers on his chin.

"Let's see how that will do in this battle especially with a type disadvantage." Brock finished as the referee announced the start of the second match. His Pokemon then roared as electricity went through the area, the gym leader smiling as he saw that the red capped trainer was not unhinged and intimidated by the display of power. 'This will be a good battle.'

"Hide behind the rocks and use Harden." Red uttered as Beedrill obeyed, descending within the rocks, its body giving off a sheen as it strengthen its body, an action which confused their opponents.

'What the? That's harden. I gotta stop it quick.' Brock thought as he made a command to his Geodude. "Quick! Thunder Punch!" The Rock-type quickly charged towards Beedrill's direction and punched the rock, creating a crack within the stone.

"Keep using the move, Geodude!" The gym leader commanded as Geodude send a barrage of punches that broke several of the boulders protecting the Bug and Poison type. After it gain entry, it attacked the Beedrill who nimbly dodged the attack by flying up into the air as it heard Red's command. "Great, now Twineedle."

The Bee Pokemon descended from the sky and jabbed Geodude to the side, making the Rock-type yell in pain before striking it again.

"Just hold on, Geodude! Use Thunder Punch!" Brock commanded, making the Rock Pokemon charge a strong electrical punch at Beedrill.

"Counter with Poison Sting." Red ordered silently as he watched the Rock type getting closer. Beedrill obeyed, making a quick jab at Geodude which caused their attacks to clash, creating a small arena of smoke from the force of the collision.

'Woah, to clash Geodude's Thunder Punch with such a weak move. That Beedrill is strong.' Brock thought as he made his Pokemon use Charge for its next move. 'Let's see that strength now.'

The gym leader then voiced his command for Geodude to do another Thunder Punch which the Pokemon obeyed as it charged with another punch imbued with electricity a lot stronger than before.

"Poison Sting to counter it." Red ordered as the Bee Pokemon quickly struck the Rock-type, causing another collision until Beedrill was overpowered which made Geodude hit it with the Thunder Punch.

"Great going, Geodude. Now Rock Tomb!"

"Harden." As the gym leader made another command, Geodude hurled a barrage of stones at Beedrill who withstood the attack by hardening its body. Brock gritted his teeth in frustration as he watched his opponent's Pokemon land a Twineedle on his partner before he made another command. "Rock Polish."

Red's eyes widened as he heard the move as he quickly muttered a command. "Quick, use Poison Sting." Beedrill quickly sped towards Geodude, whose body started to shine as its body started to shine before it nimbly dodged the strike.

"Good, Geodude. Now Thunder Punch." Brock calmly ordered, making the Rock-type swiftly attack the bee with fists of electricity. Red could only watch his Pokemon as it tried to jab its adversary only to fail as it was outsped and stuck with Thunder Punch.

'I gotta slow it down someh-' Red thought before something clicked in his brain, causing him to face palm himself with his hand. 'Right! I have String Shot. How did I forget String Shot?!'

"String Shot. Then Poison Sting when you catch it off guard." As the young trainer made his command, Beedrill obeyed, spewing white strings from its stinger onto Geodude which latecheds onto the Rock-type, slowing down its movements as it went for another Thunder Punch, allowing the yellow bee to dodge the attack and then proceeded to strike the Rock Pokemon from behind with a Poison Sting. After being struck by the Bug-type, Geodude started to stagger as it tried to use Rock Tomb but failed, much to Brock's confusion.

"W-What's wrong, Geodude? You ok? Let's try again. Rock Tomb!" The gym leader said, making the Rock-type try again only to fail as it descended to the ground, panting heavily. The Pokemon struggled to get up only to move around in a loopy fashion as it descended back to the ground, allowing Red to notice what is going on as a smirk appeared on his face. 'It's poisoned!'

"Beedrill. Now use String Shot." Red confidently but silently ordered, making the Bug Pokemon spew white strings on Geodude, who tried to move but staggers and fall due to poison and the previous string shot.

"Whip up some more, Beedrill. And fly around Geodude while doing it." Obeying its trainer's command, Beedrill flew around the Rock Pokemon, spewing strings and wrapping them around the Rock-type as it tries to struggle out of the silky strings to no avail. After a while, Geodude was wrapped up into a cocoon, unable to move, much to the surprise of the gym leader and the referee.

"What?" Brock could only muttered as he watched his ace Pokemon struggle but proved immobile by the numerous strings that hold it in place.

"Good. Now muster your rage and use Poison Sting and Twineedle until it's fainted." Red uttered which made Beedrill fly over the cocoon, readying its stingers. In one swift movement, the Bee Pokemon let out a flurry of attacks upon the immobile Geodude which could only do nothing but endure the endless assault. The onslaught lasted for a while until Red commanded Beedrill to stop and then made it rip the cocoon which made the Rock-type drop out of it and onto the floor, unconscious. The Bee Pokemon flew over to its trainer's side as everyone witness the referee checking on Geodude. Time stood still as they watched the referee until he rose from the ground and raised his hand to scarlet-eyed trainer.

"Geodude is unconscious! The winner is Beedrill! Thus making the victory go to Red from Pallet Town!"

As those words left the man's mouth, Red's eyes widened as he stood still. He then fell to his knees, unable to fathom what was happening.

"W-we won." The teen thought aloud as Beedrill and Shinx quickly hugged him, laughing happily as they celebrated their victory.

"I can't believe it. We won." He silently muttered as he hugged his Pokemon, ignoring everything that is going on around him. Returning his Pokemon, Brock smiled as he observed the young trainer celebrate his victory, making his way towards the silent teen, his mind made a mental statement. 'His training paid off.' He then walked over to Red as the trainer stood up and made eye contact with him, a serious expression etched on his face.

"Not bad, Red! Last time you barely won and now you skillfully understood your Pokemon strengths and use their moves in ways that is honestly beyond rookie level" Brock commented as he put his hand on Red's shoulder, smiling at the teen before he announced. "You did great, Red. And for your victory, I present to you the Boulder badge."

The gym leader then took a grey stone badge from his pocket and gave it to the scarlet eyed trainer. Red stood motionless as he stared at the ornament in his hand, unable to process some of the events that were happening until Shinx gave him a little shock, knocking him out of his stupor.

"That Boulder badge should be proof of this battle, Red. Remember this battle and how much you've worked for it. Also, here is a little reward from me." Brock stated as he went into his pocket and pulled out a small disk which he gave to the silent teen who then looked at him and nodded and thanks.

"As Gym leaders, we are authorized to have our gyms under certain themes, types and moves. The move I specialize with is Rock Tomb. It's a strong Rock type move that decreases a Pokemon's mobility and speed, much like your Beedrill String Shot but the difference is that it causes damage as well." The gym leader explained as he went towards the doors of the gym with Red following behind.

"You finally have your first gym badge, Red. From here, what you can do from here is get stronger." Brock stated as he turned his gaze towards Red who walked up to the glass doors along with Shinx and Beedrill following behind him. His brows then furrowed as something clicked in his mind as his mouth projected his thoughts. "By the way, where was that girl that was with you last time? I didn't see her this time and I thought it was weird. She went shopping or something?"

Red then had a melancholic look on his face as he tried his best to explain what had happened to Brock which proved to be a little difficult but the gym leader understood, sighing as he put his fingers to his chin.

"So she had to go to meet a friend, huh? That sucks. Well, if your journeys and goals are the same, you will soon cross paths again." He said as he took in breeze that went through the city as a thought came to his mind.

"Do you have a goal in life that you would like to accomplish, Red?" As Brock asked that question, Red could only stop and think as he looked at the ground intently.

'A goal?' The teen thought intensely, now realizing that he doesn't originally have a goal as he reminisced through his whole life.

'What is my goal? All my life, I wanted to leave Pallet Town and Viridian City and just go away from all the pain and insults but I never really thought about what I wanted to do after that.' The teen thought before he remembered something that made him clench his fists. 'I want to save Pikachu as well from that man V but what happens after I do that? What am I gonna do then?'

Red looked at Brock as he shook his head, feeling disappointed in himself.

"Don't blame yourself or feel disappointed. Not everyone start their journeys with a goal in mind just like that, Red. If you don't know it now, find new things, learn and experience new hobbies. I mean, a journey isn't all about collecting Gym badges and fighting the Elite Four and champion of the region, it'd just be boring. There is more to it than that." The gym leader stated as he smiled at Red as both of them heard Shinx yawn before it went to sleep, causing them to laugh at the weird sleepy expression on its face.

"Just like your Shinx. Now it's time for you to find your own Spark. Time for you to make your own story. Your own tale." Brock said as he stood by his doorway.

"Farewell, Red. I hope we have the chance to meet again. And if we do, tell me all about your adventures." The gym leader smiled as he waved at the silent trainer who made his way to the Pokemon center.

'My own tale, huh?' Red thought as he went to celebrate his victory with his Pokemon, his thoughts stuck on that.

* * *

Leaf panted as she got into the Pokemon Center, dropping down face first on the counter of the healing section where Nurse Joy, worrying the young lady.

"Ummm... Excuse me, miss. Are you ok?" The nurse asked, earning a muffled groan from the female teen who took out her Pokeballs in a swift gesture before placing them on the counter. Leaf then lifted her head from the counter as she looked tiredly at the young woman as she made a request. "Could you heal my Pokemon please, nurse?"

The nurse nodded as she went to the healing machine and put the young trainer's Pokemon within the glass container. Leaf was about to go and sit down to wait until she heard Nurse Joy behind her.

"All finished! Your Pokemon are fighting fit!" She stated, smiling until she saw the young trainer's bewildered reaction which rewarded a laugh from her,

"Sorry if I scared you. I tend to work quickly." The nurse explain while Leaf picked up her Pokemon. Leaf was about to make another request until her sight was blocked by two hands as she heard a voice. "Guess who?"

"Kimberley!" Leaf said as she turned as she hugged the young woman whose name is Kimberley who has long blue hair with dimples on her face wearing a brown blouse with black jean shorts.

"Hey Leaf! It nice to meet you again! How are you doing, girl?" The blue haired girl asked as she returned the hug before releasing they both released and looked at each other, going to a table by the window as they continued the conversation.

"You know, I'm doing great, just came from Mt. Moon…" Leaf said before she trailed off as she looked through the window, staring off towards the mountains. As she did this, Kimberley started to notice the brunette's melancholic expression, feeling worried for her friend.

"What's wrong, Leaf?" The teen said as she put a hand on her shoulder, concern etched on her face.

"I wanted to get a Clefairy but I couldn't find any. I know the Pokemon are rare but nothing at all! There were barely any wild Pokemon in the damn mountain. Man that got me angry!" Leaf shouted in frustration as she pouted angrily and folded her arms, glaring at the mounain. Kimberley's silver eyes widened before she put her fingers on her chin as she contemplated on this situation.

"Hmm. That is weird." She thought aloud until a voice interrupted her out of her thoughts, earning a groan from Leaf.

"If it isn't the Viridian sisters?" Blue announced as he came through the doors of the Pokemon Center as he went over to the two female teens as he took a seat by the table, putting his feet on the table and his hands behind his back as he continued. "How you two doing? Nice seeing you again, Kimmy."

"Can't you just call me Kim, Blue? It's literally a syllable less and you need all the energy that you can get to do your 'destiny'." Kimberley joked, earning a snicker from Leaf. While they continued their conversation, Yellow limped as she dropped herself on the table, her head descending on the table as she sighed.

"Hi guys… Hey, Kim. You're back…" She smiled tiredly as she ordered a milkshake and happily and greedily slurped the beverage.

"Well, the gang is here. Not bad." Blue said as he drank his soda before he let out a burp.

"Seriously Blue. Learn some tact and get your feet off the table." Kimberley said as she pushed his feet off, making him scowl at her. Leaf and Yellow watched as an argument went on between the two teenagers which started to get the attention of the other people in the Pokemon Center.

"Come on, guys. You all need to chill out. We're in a Pokemon Center…" Yellow said before she continue to drink her milkshake.

"Serious-" Leaf could not finish her sentence as she was interrupted by a loud explosion that shook the entire Pokemon Center. As the tremors stopped, everyone exited the building as they watched smoke ascended from Mt. Moon.

"What the?"

"Oh my God."

"What on earth is happening?"

"Look at Mt. Moon. There's smoke coming from it."

As everyone was making a commotion, Blue, Yellow, Leaf and Kimberley sprinted through the crowd within Cerulean City and made their way to Route 4.

"Blue! Why are we going to-" Yellow couldn't finish her statement as another explosion took place, shaking the area once again which caused the teens to lose their balance as they fell to the floor. As Blue quickly stood up to sprint towards the mountain, he had to stop as he saw various police cars blocking the entrance to Mt. Moon. The brunette walked to them, his hands on his side as he questioned them. "What happened, officer? Where did that explosion come from? You need from the best around?"

"Oh, it's you, Blue. From what we've investigated so far, there's been some unruly characters going around." The policeman exaplained, before a loud voice echoed through, surprising everyone. "Private, we need to be barricading the mountain not speaking to mere kids!"

A man with brown hair, having several scars on his face, the biggest one under his eye walked in front of the officer, scolding him. When he was finished, he turned his gaze to the children, closing is eyes as he spoke to them. "Sorry, kids but this area is off limits at this time. Try coming back another time when the investigation is finished."

"Dad, what happened?" Leaf said walking and catching up to the group, causing the man to open his eyes and give out a big smile before running towards her. "Leaf!"

"Uh oh…" The brown haired girl said about to run only to fail as her father crushed her in a bear hug, earning a groan from her as she pouts. She then looks towards her friends to see Blue and Kimberley laughing, Yellow trying her best not to laugh but failed as she let out a slight giggle.

"I didn't even realize it was you! How has little my chestnut detective been doing?" The man said as he let go of Leaf, much to her delight.

"I've been doing fine, dad. So what's up?" She continued, blushing in embarrassment as she gave her friends a menacing glare, causing them to stop as they shuddered in fear.

"You heard it yourself from the private. We're investigating the place right now. Some weird activities been going on in the mountain but now it's starting to go to the extremes." The man said as he looked towards the mountain before turning his gaze at the teens.

"Why don't you all return to the Pokemon Center? It is too dangerous right now for you kids to be here." Hearing this, Blue got aggravated as he walk up to the brown haired man, looking in his face as he started to plead.

"C'mon, Mr. Green. We can help you with this." The man smiled as he shook his head.

"I appreciate you children wanting to help but it's best to take it easy and leave this to the adults. We'll take care of this."

"Bu-"

"NO BUTS!" Mr. Green shouted, frightening everyone within hearing distance of his voice, including Blue although the teen tried to put up a tough demeanor. The man turned around before going to the entrance of the cave and stopping.

"Please, boy. Just go. You have just started your journey and these people will fight underhanded. Get a few badges in before thinking of helping us out. How about that, huh?" After he finished, he turn and waved to them with a smile on his face before he went into the cave, leaving the teens outside with no choice but to go back to Cerulean City.

Groups of Pokemon started to run away in panic as another explosion occur, causing rumbling within the cave. Sounds of machinery echoed in the air as various rocks are being crushed and punctured, causing smoke to envelop the area. As the smoke begin to clear, silhouettes came into the cavern's dark view, as the machinery started to stop as they looked at the results.

"Are you sure that this is the place, Madam?"

"Yes, indeed. We will be able to find a good amount of Moon Stones and fossils so we can sell them on the black market."

"Nice. And we'll be rich for life!" As one of the grunts stated that, the woman started cackling as she said with a silent but serious tone in her voice. "Yes, rich indeed. We'll be continuing in 15 minutes, boys."

"Yes, Lady Ariana!" The men said as they saluted the red haired woman as she left, going towards a more open section of the cave. As she left the small cavern that they made, she was confronted by a bunch of police officers and hikers who surrounded her.

"Freeze! Hands where I can see them!" One of the officers announced with authority present in his voice. Ariana smiled as she quickly took out her Pokeball, releasing a dark blue Pokemon with a huge flower growing on its head. Before the police could react, the Grass-type release spores from its body that instantly wafted through the area, causing the men to fall to their knees as they struggled to endure the effects of the pollen.

"Impressive, boys! It's not many people can endure my Vileplume's spores for more than 5 seconds before going unconscious. It's either you're a lot stronger than I thought or my baby has underestimated you." She said before snapping her fingers which made the spores that came from Vileplume much more potent as it started to knock the men unconscious except for one who muttered a question that the lady heard. "Who… are… you?"

As he asked, Ariana laughed as she walked closer to the man before crouching down towards him and leering him with her amber eyes as she lifted his face with her hand.

"We are your worst nightmare, dear. Terror comes when our name is mentioned." She said as she whispered the last part in his ear before he lost consciousness which is something the policeman will never forget.

"We are Team Rocket."

**Never expected to get out this chapter so quickly to be honest. I just decided to just do something and BAM! This came out. Hope that you will enjoy the sorta double upload of the story and tell me your thoughts on the rematch and on Ariana so far. Leaf won't be completely out of the story, she'll be back. Hope y'all enjoy the chapter and the story and thanks for your reviews and everything. Enigma out!**


	14. Chapter 13: Journey to Mt Moon

As the sun started to rise over the buildings of Pewter City and covering them with an orange like color before the breeze starts to lightly pass through the area, every human and Pokemon were waking and getting to start their day as the sounds of vehicles and walking resonated and fill the atmosphere. As the orange ball went higher and twilight started to end, by the exit gate of the city stood Red who was treading to Route 3 as he bid farewell to the city while glancing at the Boulder badge strapped on the inside of his jacket. As he took a final look at Pewter City, he turns around and journeys his way towards his next destination which was Mt. Moon. As he wandered through Route 3, he instantly got entranced by the scenery as he watched the wild Pokemon prancing about, reading the Pokedex as it scanned each one of the creatures.

"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokemon. Disliking water, it lives in deep burrows in arid areas. It can roll itself instantly into a ball." The device stated as it examined the small yellow, brick patterned rodent as it rolled itself into a ball in fear.

Noticing this, Red laughed nervously while scratching his head before he opted to leave it alone and turning the device to another small creature which got a low beep from it which confused the teen as he looked towards the Pokemon. A white and red rodent made eye contact with the trainer, shaking its ears before running off into the tall grass at an amazing speed.

"That was a Plusle, right?" He thought aloud as he took out a brown book from his bag and flipped through the pages until he reached where he wanted.

"I found it!" He happily celebrated as he quickly read through the pages of the book.

"Plusle, that's the cheering Pokemon. It's a Hoenn Pokemon. So that's why the Pokedex can't scan it, huh?" He concluded as he walked off, still reading the book.

"Says right here it's an Electric type with a physiology similar to Pikachu. And it has a counterpart of some sorts named Minun who is white and blue. It has the Plus ability while Minun has the Minus ability. They're kinda like magnets! That's honestly pretty cool!" He read before he tripped and lost his balance, almost falling only for him to unconscious make a flip and end back on his feet again, frightened by what had transpired in the past couple seconds. He then heard clapping from the other trainers on the route as they crowded him, smothering him with question on how he was able to pull that off.

"How did you do that?"

"Are you an acrobat or something?"

"Can you do a handstand?"

They continued questioning the nervous red capped teen as he tried to escape from them which resulted to be futile. As they started to increase in numbers, Red then started to break in a nervous sweat as he tried again to get out of the congregation only to be met with failure once more. Suddenly, an explosion happened, frightening everyone and changing their attention from the quivering teen and towards the mountain. Using this chance to escape, Red squirmed his way through the crowd as he tries to avoid being stepped on by the unsuspecting individuals. As he got out of the crowd and continued venturing the route, another explosion occurred, causing a group of wild, snake-looking Pokemon to pop out of the grass in front of him, glaring at him with an agitated expression on their faces.

'These Pokemon look very different. They look similar to Ekans yet they aren't.' He thought as he took out his Pokedex and scanned the Pokemon which agitated them more as one of them started to attack him. Noticing as the creature lunged at him, the red capped teen jumped out of the way, gaining some distance from the group of snake-like creatures as the Pokedex made a few beeping noises before a voice started to talk.

"Arbok, the Cobra Pokemon and the evolved form of Ekans. With a very vengeful nature, it won't give up the chase, no matter how far, once it targets its prey."

As the device ended its explanation and turned off, Red put the Pokedex into his bag before he turns his gaze at the group of Arbok, observing their moves as he took out both of his Pokeballs from his belt. As he readied one of the balls, one of the Cobra Pokemon lunged at him, baring its fangs at him as two others followed it on its assault. Red dodged the first Arbok as he dived out of the way as the others followed up behind as he spun out of their direction which caused them to hit the wall. Staggering from the pain, they turn to see the raven haired teen shoot various rocks at them, causing them to slither out of the way before one of them lunged once more at the trainer, unaware of the smirk on his face as he chucked a stone at it which it endured using its head before the object exploded into a ball of smoke. "Bullseye."

Before the Pokemon could do anything, it got hit hard into the stomach by an attack which sent it flying straight into one of the boulders that were around the route. As it came too, its eyes started to notice a small blue and yellow Pokemon on the ground, bursting with electricity as it started growling at them with a menacing glare. The other Poison started to attack the little Electric type as Shinx readied itself for its trainers command.

"Leer." Red silently commanded as the Pokemon obliged, giving the two Poison type a terrifying look which caused them to flinch before they continuing their assault only to be knocked aside into the rocks, surprising Shinx and its adversaries. The Electric-type heard humming in the air, looking up to see Beedrill hovering above it, its stingers raised as it watches its opponents recover from the surprise attack they have been dealt. As they got up, they stared at Red and his Pokemon, not backing down as they made their battle poses. The Poison types pounced onto them, their fangs emitting electricity, fire and ice in their mouths.

'The elemental fangs?! Not good!' The red capped trainer thought as he racked his brain for a plan. He then saw the group of Pokemon getting closer, the one that is using Fire Fang going towards Beedrill while the others are targeting Shinx. He then thought of an idea as he waited impatiently, sweating trickling on his face as he watched the gang of Arbok get closer to the Beedrill and Shinx.

"String Shot now!" Red loudly commanded as Bug-type spew strings of silk on the ground, causing the Pokemon to be ensnared in it, causing their attacks went off as they collided into each other. One of the Arbok started to pant as it slowly started to get up only to be hit into the face by an electrified tackle from Shinx which send the Pokemon into a boulder, breaking it from the impact. Before it could attack, its body suddenly went aflame causing it to succumb to the status ailment as it fell to the floor exhausted. The other Poison type watch their partner in shock before they both lunged towards Beedrill and Shinx, constricting the Electric type and biting the Bug type, much to Red's worry as he started to panic. As he tries to calm himself down, he then accessed the situation before he took out his slingshot and gathered some stones.

"Shinx, now use Charge." The red capped trainer commanded as he readied his weapon and shot a stone at the Arbok that is biting the Beedrill, freeing the Bug-type. "Spin around it with String Shot, Beedrill."

The Bee Pokemon obliged as it spew silk from its stinger, wrapping around the Cobra Pokemon until it turned into a cocoon which made it immobile while Shinx absorbs the electricity around it causing its fur to spark up and slightly release electricity causing damage to its attacker. Feeling the slight shock results of Electric-type's move, Arbok started to constrict it harder which was made futile as the longer the move lasts, the electricity that hurt it. Observing the battle, Red had an idea as he commanded Beedrill to drop its immobile opponent onto the other Poison type until he said one word which caused Shinx to stop charging as its body went back to normal.

"Spark."

As the raven haired teen uttered the word, the Electric type made a cry which was followed by a burst of lightning that envelop the area in an intense yellow light which causes Red and Beedrill had to shield their eyes from it. The two Arbok could only endure as they were brutally electrocuted by the immense amount of electrical energy released from Shinx's body. As the attack continued, they both started to lose consciousness as the one that constricted the Electric-type started to lose its grip as both Pokemon started to descend to the ground. As it the electricity started to subside, Red and Beedrill were able to open their eyes to see the three Arbok on the floor, unconscious. The scarlet eyed teen went up to Shinx, who was extremely exhausted as it was on the floor, panting as it felt the repercussions from the attack it used.

"Nice job, Shinx." Red said as he went over to the Pokemon and picked it up, cradling it as he took out a few Potions and sprayed them on his partners before he continued on the route.

As Red climbed pass a few ledges and jumped down a few cliffs, he then started to see Mt. Moon from the distance, smiling as he decided to take a break by a bunch of rocks which he used one of them as a seat. The raven haired teen then took out some Oran berries that he gave to Beedrill and Shinx which the Pokemon happily accepted as they ate their share along with a bowl of water.

'It's a good thing I stacked up on some stuff and this book I got from the library sale really helps out a lot more for the Pokemon that aren't in my Pokedex.' Red thought as he took out the same brown book, reading through it as he drank some of his lemonade. As a few minutes passed, the red capped teen found himself in a daze as he dozed off with Shinx and Beedrill snuggled beside him as they all lose consciousness and drift away into slumber.

'This place again.'

Red's voice echoed through his mind as he was surrounded by a lush forest, realizing that he was lazing on the ground before he got up.

'Woah! This place is huge. It's way bigger than before. It's gonna take a while before I get anywhere.' He said as he ascended from the grass and looked around. He then started to wander around until he found a pond. Looking at the pond and around the forest, he realized that there is barely any signs of wildlife in the area which caused him to be confused.

'I need some water right now.' He thought as he went to drink the water until he froze in his spot as he watched his reflection in the water. Reflected through the water was a young boy, around the age of 8 that had slightly shaggy black hair and red eyes with a black shirt with a logo of a Pikachu's tail. He then reacted to the reflection, jumping back as he got out of his stupor as a yelp escaped his lips. "What the?"

He then felt his face and looked at his hands, realizing that it was not an illusion but the fact that he was indeed a child again. Puzzled by the development of events that had transpired, Red went to quench his thirst by having some of the water from the river to calm his nerves so that he can think this situation out.

"Ok, I'm a kid. I'm in this forest again which is bigger than before in my other dreams and I don't know where to go. I've been through a lot of places but I would remember a forest like this no matter how much I rack my brain." The raven haired boy thought aloud as he observed the area around him, looking for anything that looks familiar. He then got up as he started to wander aimlessly through the forest, exploring every nook and cranny he can and trying his best to avoid any altercation with wild Pokemon despite there being none that were found. Minutes turn to hours as he wandered through the endless place of greenery, feeling frustrated as he fell face first on the ground, his muffled screams barely resonating through the air. "Man, this place is annoying!"

"Where is this place? Where am I going? Where's the exit?" Red turned to his back as he gazed at the clouds, immediately immersed as his nerves calmed down and he started to daydream. As the boy drifted off into his unconsciousness, he then heard something that knocked him out of his daze.

_'__Red…' _

"H-huh? Who's there?" Red said, getting silence as a response as he just shrugged and relaxed.

_'…__Red…where are…you…' _

"Wha-"

_'__Where…are you…Red…' _

"Who are you?"

_'__Red… you promised…' _

"Wait!"

_'…__you… promised…'_

Red got up, looking around as he got up and searched for the voice, trying to pinpoint the direction of it. 'What was that and where did it come from?'

_'…__Re…d…' _The voice started again, this Red heard the direction of the voice as he sprinted towards the direction, not knowing why he is going or what he's about to witness. The voice spoke again and again, getting fainter as it talked which made the raven haired boy worried as he continued his chase. Feeling exhaustion from his run, Red started to realize he can't stop as his body keeps running towards the voice, tears threatening to come out of his eyes. 'What the- What's going on?'

_'…__R…ed… co…me… on…'_

Before the teen even knows, he started to sprint as fast as his little body could go, the trees around him becoming a blur. For minutes, the boy has been running through the forest until he entered into a clearing within the forestry, immediately feeling a sense of relief as the wind patted him on the face. He then noticed a ball of light in the middle of the clearing, his eyes widened as he stared at it in awe. Red then realized that his legs were moving towards, his hands moving from his side as he went to touch the light until suddenly everything turned as he heard the voice one last time.

_'…__You promised me…b…ack… Red…'_

As the sun started to descend, the young trainer's eyes slowly opened, looking around him before he checked his Pokegear. Seeing the time on the device, he quickly sprang up to his feet as he eyed it with a bewildered expression. He then heard purring sounds on the ground, looking down to see Shinx on the floor, grasping its head in pain.

"Sorry, Shinx." Red apologized as he took up the Pokemon and gently rubbed its head before returning Beedrill, who still wanted to sleep, and continuing along the road. As he travelled along the route, he battled various trainers and encountering countless wild Pokemon along the way, much to Beedrill's annoyance until they reached another opening. Finally reaching the entrance of Mt. Moon, Red was surprised as he saw various caution tapes put up along with various police vehicles and SUVs parked near the mountain's entrance. Along with those were multiple campsites that were also put up around the area as trainers and travelers alike stood and sat impatiently as they all eyed the entrance to the rocky cavern.

'What's going on?' Red thought as he passed through the campsites in the area, making his way to the Pokemon Center. Entering the red building, he came in to see various trainers and Pokemon seated at almost every sections of the room, anxiety filling the air as he saw them waiting in irritation. He then went up to the healing corner to heal his Pokemon as Nurse Joy greeted him. "Welcome to our Pokemon Center. Would you like to heal your Pokemon?"

The red capped trainer nodded as he gave her his Pokemon as she went into a room and healed them. After a few minutes of waiting, the nurse returned back with his Pokemon and handed them to him which he took and put them in his bag. He then pointed at everyone in the area with a confused expression, wondering what is going on.

"Oh! You're wondering why there is so much people here, right?" She asked, earning a quick nod from Red. "Well, what's happening is that there was an accident that took place in Mt. Moon for a while now. A couple days ago but it was said to be longer. Did you hear the explosions that was shaking the place earlier?"

After her question, the red capped teen responds with another nod as he thought. 'So that's what was causing the explosions earlier.

"Yeah, those explosions happened in Mt. Moon. No one knows the reason behind them and that's why the police are outside investigating the issue." She finished explaining to the teen who turn his gaze to the doors, seeing the barricade outside and the campsites. The nurse's smile subsided before she then descended to the counter as she seems to be in her thoughts, shaking herself out of her stupor as she looked at Red. The raven haired teen noticed a tear bubbling in her eye, feeling immediate concern for her. Nurse Joy saw the expression on the teen's face which made her wave her hand in the air.

"Sorry, I just…feel sorry for the Pokemon in the mountain. Their homes…their lives destroyed all because of whoever is the cause of the explosion. Those poor Pokemon…" She said in a sad tone, wiping the tear from her face. Red could understand what she meant, he himself adopting her melancholic mood as he gazed towards the mountain. 'That's sad. I just hope that they're alright.'

"It's gonna take a while until this investigation is finished. In the meantime, you can stay here and rent a room if you'd like." Nurse Joy kindly said as she smiled, getting the red capped teen's attention as he nodded and ordered to rent a room for the night.

As the sun descended underneath horizon, Red found himself on his bed, checking his map as he put his fingers on his chin, contemplating his next step for his journey with Shinx playing with a ball that he bought for it and Beedrill eating a bowl of Oran Berries. 'So right now, Mt. Moon is blocked, can't go through there which makes the only options being on boat through Pallet Town to Cinnabar Island or through Diglett's Cave. I have no access to a boat so the ride to Cinnabar is a no-go so that leaves going through Diglett's Cave to Vermillion City then. There should be Drilbur and Zubat in that cave, which will be interesting. Oh! The map shows it has a gym there. I can train and take on the gym there. Plus, the SS. Anne is there. I would like to see how it looks. Must be cool.'

As the teen finished his thinking to himself, he then looked through his window, seeing the guards outside scouting out and several lights illuminating the entrance of the mountain. As he saw the scene in front of him, his mouth started to project his thoughts. "Who knows how long this investigation will take?"

After he made that statement, he packed up his stuff before he then laid down with Shinx and Beedrill on the bed along with him, making the teen pet them.

"That was an awesome battle today, guys! We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow so we're gonna need all the sleep that we can get." He said, to which the Pokemon nodded before they all drifted off to the world of dreams.

As the sun barely peeked its head above the horizon, Red's eyes fluttered open as one of the sun rays went through and hit him which made him turn away from it as he tried to go back sleep. Coming to a realization that he's unable to return back to his slumber, the teen then yawned as he got out of his bed, making sure to at least make sure that his Pokemon get a good sleep. As he gazed through his window and in the direction of the barricade, he noticed something shiny flashing in the entrance until he saw one of the officers come out with a shady and slightly frightened look on their face.

'What the heck is happening here?' Red thought as he watch the man joining the group of guards on the outside and helping them with the agitated crowd until his eyes widened, noticing a black piece of clothing within his shirt that showed a piece of a red symbol on it which disappeared when the man straightened his clothes and fixed himself. As the scene continued before, the teen had a nauseous feeling in his stomach as he continued to watch the officer, taking in his features before he took out his Pokegear and snapped a picture of him before he went back to his room and getting himself ready.

'This isn't good. This is not good. I don't like this at all. I gotta warn the police.'

As he finished his thought and finished putting on his jacket, he then heard a huge explosion that shook the area which jolted Beedrill and Shinx awake as they panic and frantically looked around for the source of the sound until Red calmed them down. As he went outside of the Pokemon Center and turned his attention to Mt. Moon, the scarlet eyed teen realized that the tapes are ripped apart as the guards are doing their best to calm down the panicking audience as smoke started to emit from the entrance of the mountain. Red then saw as a couple trainers and children sneakily going past the guards and going into the smoky entrance with smirks on their faces. The teen was about to alert the guards until he saw Shinx and Beedrill entering the cave as well, worry came over him as he chased after them and disappeared into the smog emitting from the entrance.

As the teen sprinted through the thickness of the black fog, he found himself within the rocky terrains of the cavern, silence filled the place as the teen noticed that the area is completely empty apart from Shinx and Beedrill looking around in awe.

"Shinx! Beedrill!" Red called after him, reuniting with them as he frantically searched them for any sign of injuries, letting out a sigh of relief when he found no scratches on them.

"You guys can't just ru-" He paused as he saw that they were staring at something, turning to the direction as he saw a horde of Moon Stones on the floor beside a bunch of wheelbarrows. "What the?"

The trio went to the pile as Red picked up a few of the Moon Stones, his eyes sparkles as the three of them marveled at the beauty of the stones. As he put some of the stones in his bag, the teen noticed Shinx struggling as it tries to pull something out of the pile. Red, along with Beedrill, then went over and helped the Electric type as they all yanked out a big stone that has the shape of a spiral shell on it, causing Red's eyes to widen as he recognized the huge rock.

"T-this is a fossil…" He muttered as he inspected the rocks which confirmed his suspicions. He then dug into the horde of stones to find another one, this time with a shape of a shell with two eyes on it which once again surprised the teen.

'This is...the Dome Fossil, and according to Dad and the museum, the one with the spiral shell on it is the Helix fossil... I knew it was stated that some of them had to move near to Cerulean due to climate change but… I never knew they used to reside in here…' The teen finished his thought as he looked at the fossil, putting them in his bag and thinking of the reason for their appearance until something clicked in his mind.

"What on earth is-" He couldn't finish his thought as he heard an explosion in the cave, scaring both Shinx and Beedrill, who both immediately retreated to their Pokeballs in fear. As the rumbling of the cave subsided and the sounds have dwindled, Red then treading further in the cavern, curiosity controlling him until he began to hear the sound of machinery in the background. As he reached the source of the sounds, he then began to witness various men in black, hiking and mining outfits working and excavating the place with one of them controlling a huge drill machine and another have a bucket of explosives. Red also saw the trainers that went into the cave before as they took off their costumes, revealing adults as they captured some of the kids who followed them, putting them in a cage.

"What the?" Red could only mutter before he noticed a ball of pink fluff on the ground near the working site which caught the attention of the men. The scarlet eyed teen watched in horror as one of the men found the Pokemon on the ground that was shaking in fear before the man stepped on it before picking it up and dragging it across the site. As the man stopped, Red could only feel his blood boil and his teeth gritting and clenching tightly as he witnessed the numerous cages holding the resident Pokemon of the mountain.

'I-I was wondering where were the Zubats. N-No way… This is heartless.' As the teen finished his thought, his body acted on adrenaline and pure anger as he ran from rock to rock, quickly taking out his slingshot and shot the man's hand, causing him to yell in pain as he released the Fairy type who scurried away and tried to free its fellow Pokemon.

"Oh no you don't." The man recovered as several of the others joined him before something smacked him in his temple, knocking him out unconscious, much to the men's surprise. Before they could react, several of them fell down from a couple shots to the skull from Red slingshot as the others that noticed got jabbed by Beedrill and electrocuted by Shinx, leaving around five men left. The men readied their Pokeballs before they flung them into the air, which released five Pokemon: an Ekans, a Koffing, two Machops and a Zubat.

Red flinched as he saw the group of Pokemon as they all surrounded them, shrugging it away as he put on a look of determination as he readied his slingshot as his partners stood by and waited for his commands until a voice resonated through the cavern.

"It seems that we have a troublemaker here trying to play hero." Everyone's attention turned towards the owner of the voice, which was a red haired woman dressed in a black dress with a 'R' on the shirt.

"Lady Ariana!" The men said as they saluted her before turning towards Red with evil grins on their faces as they started to snicker, much to the young trainer's confusion.

"Well, I got news for you, kid. You mess with Team Rocket and things are gonna get ugly." She stated in a silent yet threatening tone as she jumped onto the back of a van, making signals with her hands which the men understood before she turned to the others.

"Take out the kids, men! We need no witnesses. I'll be going ahead with the Pokemon." As she said that, the vans drove off before she turned towards the cages, looking at the captured Pokemon with a glint of wickedness in her eyes.

"Yes. You all will make fine guinea pigs," Ariana said with a wicked smile on her face before she started cackling which starts to fade in the distance. Red then looked towards the woman going away with the cages, immediately sprinting towards them which failed as her men blocked the way, surrounding the teen as their Pokemon are ready for battle.

"Don't think it's gonna be easy getting to Lady Ariana."

"You're making it sound like he's gonna get to her at all."

"You're way too young to be picking a fight with Team Rocket." The men stated as they snickered and stepped closer to the teen, causing Red to grit his teeth as he waits for the inevitable showdown.

"This is gonna be harder than I thought."

**I apologize for being so late on delivering this chapter. I had to make sure that everything from Pewter to Cerulean was alright and everything was planned out as nice as possible. Hope you like the story so far and the next chapter will be coming soon and I mean soon so keep a lookout for it. Thanks for checking out my story and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Enigma out!**


	15. Chapter 14: Battle on Mt Moon

Sounds of clashing and conflict echoed through the stony walls within the caverns of Mt. Moon. The pebbles and stones in the area shaking and vibrating through the shockwaves of battle. Everything stood still as they cower from the sounds and clashes of combat in the cave.

"Hyper Fang!" A voice commanded before a purple rat, obeying the command, lunged towards the Beedrill and bit it with its fangs which causing the Bug-type to scream in pain as it tries to pry and shake its attacker off.

"Beedrill!" Red yelled in concern as one of the grunts tried to punch him in the face only to be rewarded with failure as the teen nimbly dodged the attack. The red capped teen then turned around and aimed his slinghot, hitting the man at the back of his head before another came from behind the young trainer who secured a punch to Red's face which made the boy stagger back from the impact. The teen then looked at Shinx who was having a hard time as it faced the two Machop and the Zubat which he was planning on intervening before he felt a familiar pain struck up through his right foot, his eyes widened as he looked there to find Ekans with its teeth sunken into his leg.

'Not this time!' Red thought as he quickly pulled out an Antidote and downed in one go before he stomped the Snake Pokemon and shot it in the face. As adrenaline became his support, the scarlet eyed teen then quickly observed the area before a plan form in his mind as he dodged one of the workers' punch and countered with an elbow to the rib which caused the man to hold his stomach in pain. As the man did this, Red cupped his hands above his head before he slammed both of them on the man's cranium which slammed the worker's head on the floor, making him unconscious. The raven haired teen then turned his attention to the Pokemon as he yelled orders to them as he made his way towards the machinery. "Beedrill, Poison Sting that Rattata and don't stop attacking it! Shinx, Leer as much as you can and come to my direction!"

Finishing his command, he fended off one of the men that was dressed in the Pokemon trainers as he fired two stones after them which connected one of them on their arm and the other on his shin, causing them to slightly descend to the ground as they grunted in pain as the teen heard one of the workers commanded their Pokemon. "Zubat, Supersonic!"

The Bat Pokemon obeyed as it screamed at the top of its lungs, causing Red and his partners to become disorientated as they all tried to block out the sound. They all found themselves dizzy as the Zubat flew towards Shinx, biting as it seemed to suck the life force out of the Pokemon before the Electric type shook it away. As Red got back to his senses, he then realized Beedrill and Shinx different behaviour as they started to stagger and attack themselves.

'What the-' The teen couldn't finish his thought as the Bug type attacked him, moving in a very wobbly manner which he quickly noticed as he went over to his Pokemon. "Beedrill, what's wrong? Are you ok?"

Checking his Pokemon up close, he then realized what was going on when he examined his partner as his mouth projected his thoughts. "C-Confusion. They're confused."

Before he was able to go into his bag and take out some Persim Berries, he got knocked across the room, slamming into the wall which knocked the wind out of him as he fell to the ground, barely able to hold himself up by leaning on the wall. As he looked into the direction of his attacker, his eyes widened as he saw the Machop, accompanied by the Rattata and Ekans about to attack Shinx and Beedrill. 'N-no.'

"Beedrill, Twineedle now! And Shinx, use Spark!" He quickly commanded, smiling as he witnessed his Pokemon obeying as they started using their moves until they started attacking each other, much to Red's confusion and irritation. The teen tried to order a next move before he then heard the men as they started to surround him, laughing at the actions of his partners as they attacked each other once again.

"His Pokemon can't even do one thing."

"Welp, it's over. Give up, kid."

"Yeah, your Pokemon are basically useless at this point. Plus, you're outnumbered, kid." Red was about to take aim but was rewarded with failure as he got knocked at the back of his head, making him dizzy as he fell to the floor. As the teen try to get his bearing, a foot descended on his back before he then took a look again in his Pokemon's direction to still see them fighting which made him worried. 'We need to get out of this somehow. Just one move if possible.'

"Don't bother, kid. You're dead. At least your Pokemon will make fine partners for us."

As the words left the man's mouth and reached Red's ear, the teen immediately blanked out as he mind repeated the last words that the man said to him. 'T-They're planning to take Shinx and Beedrill?'

Red's mind started to black out as he tries his best to stop the words in his mind, unable to do so. The teen started to look around seeing flashes and images of Pikachu being captured repeated over, much to his dismay as his mind continued torturing him.

'Stop.' The scene replays once again.

'Please stop!' And again.

'STTTOOOP!' His final thought cried through his mind as everything went into darkness, as every and all sound stopped immediately.

"Not again." As those words left Red's mouth, the men instinctively flinched as the teen glared at them, they feel like they're looking at a demon as they saw a glimpse of his eyes which seemed to glow mysteriously.

"What the fuck was that? What the hell were those eyes?" Before they were able to shake off their fear, he kicked the one that was holding him down on his shin, causing him to hold his leg as he yelped in pain. Taking the opportunity, Red took up his slingshot and secured shots at the other workers as he got up and ran, gaining some distance from them.

'C'mon, guys. Please stop this.' The raven haired teen thought as he turned his stare towards his Pokemon which caused them both to stop attacking as if they're reading his thoughts. Both of them snapped out of their confusion as they both attacked their foes, knocking them back.

"Finally." Red said with a sigh of relief, happy that at least they're still listening despite being confused. He then went his way towards them, stopping every few moments to shoot at his pursuers, slowing down their chase as he got close enough to his Pokemon.

"Quick! Use Stri-" Red stopped as he remembered Beedrill condition, clicking his teeth in irritation as he watched as the other Pokemon attack, his partners barely able to fend them off. He then fished in his bag to take out Potions until he was attacked, barely dodging a shovel that was thrown at him as he realized that he can't use his medicine as of the moment.

'I'm not sure if they're completely recovered. This will end badly if this doesn't play right.' The raven haired teen mentally contemplated as he looked at his partners as a pair of voices spoke in his mind.

_'__We'll be alright.'_

_'__Don't worry. Just say the word, bro.'_

'What the?' Red thought as he looked around, not finding anyone. Contemplating the voices and seeing his partners' expressions, he silently chuckled as he decided to make a gamble and finished his order as a thought pop up in his head. 'Don't have much time. Do we?'

"String shot on Zubat, Beedrill!" The young trainer stated ehich the Pokemon obeyed, shooting a white silky string at Zubat who tried to squirm free from the string, much to Red's delight as the teen smirked. "Good, now throw it to Shinx! And Shinx use Spark!" The teen ordered as he took a punch to the face that sent him to the ground and spitting some blood, recovering quickly as he rolled over to shoot the man in his face as he took up a mining hammer on the floor, using it to smack one of the thugs in their face, knocking him unconscious immediately as teeth flew out of his mouth from the impact.

His Pokemon obeyed him, Beedrill pulling the Bat Pokemon towards Shinx, who immediately cloaked itself in electricity as it tackled the Zubat, electrifying the Flying-type. The Electric type did not stop as it kept going, running into the Machop and Rattata, knocking all three of the Pokemon into a wall as it retreated back to its initial position, gaining a compliment from its trainer. "Nice one, Shinx."

Something caught Red's attention as he turned his gaze, hearing a command from one of the workers.

"Machop, Ice Punch." The Machop went towards Shinx, bracing an icy fist that almost seemed to be glowing in a blue light. As it got close, Beedrill appeared right in front of it, taking the blow as it barely moved from its spot, its body starting to shine before it stabbed the Fighting type in the gut twice which sent it back a couple feet, much to the men's aggravation as they gritted their teeth in anger. 'One kid should not be causing us this much problem.'

As the Machop was sent backwards, it started to stagger which made Red realize what's happening to it before pumping his fist in the air. "Alright, it's poisoned."

"Everyone get up! Now!" As the man who seemed to be leader of the group yelled to the top of lungs which cause Red to shudder before the Pokemon quickly got up and making their battle stance except for Zubat who was knocked unconscious. One of the goons in the miner outfit clicked his teeth. Red smiled until he realized that the Machop that was poisoned was surrounded by an intimidating aura as it glared at his partners with a pained scowl on its face which made a wicked grin appear on its trainer's face as he offered a command. "Machop, use Knock Off."

As the words left the man's mouth, the Fighting type leaped in the air before it drove its fist, charging at Beedrill and Shinx, who were able to dodge in time. As the attack hit the floor, it caused a shockwave that violently quaked the cave, causing rocks to fall from the ceiling of the cave. Red and the workers had to dodge some of the incoming rocks, some of the goons was made victim to the rainfall of stones, getting struck in the head, knocking them unconscious which leave only two thugs as they both glared at the raven haired teen. As the Pokemon went to their respective sides, one of the men smirked as he recognized that they still outnumbered the teenager when they saw the teen's battered, tattered and torn state along with the multiple bruises and cuts around the teen and his Pokemon bodies.

"Give it up, kid. Even when you took most of us down, we still outnumber you." The man said, chuckling evilly as the other man made a command to the Pokemon.

"Rattata, Flame Wheel on Beedrill. Machop, use Thunder Punch!"

The Pokemon lunged forward towards Beedrill which heard the raven haired teen's command, causing it to dodge the Flame Wheel before it got smacked across the cave by the Machop's move. Red caught the Bug type as it flew across the cavern, causing him to skid along the floor as he tried his best to stay stagnant. As they stopped, the raven haired teen was barely able to register as he heard another order from the other man.

"We got them! Machop, Brick Break! Ekans, Poison Tail on Shinx."

Seeing the Pokemon about to get to Shinx, Red turned his gaze to Beedrill as he cradled it.

"You alright, Beedrill?" He asked, receiving a nod from the Pokemon as it dusted itself and ascend to the air, much to the scarlet eyed teen's delight.

"Awesome! Now String Shot Cocoon!" Red ordered, pulling out his slingshot and running towards their foes. He then shoot at the Pokemon, hitting Ekans which made stop its attack as it crashed into Machop, both of their moves slamming into each other. Red was about to celebrate before the other Machop smacked the Shinx into a wall with a Knock Off attack, surprising the teen as he went towards the Electric type. When the teen picked up the Pokemon, he whispered to it to which it nodded before jumping on his cap, roaring as it started to absorb the electrical particles in the air. Red then made a signal to Beedrill as it started to circle both the Pokemon and the thugs, dodging every move that was sent its way and not attacking which confused them. After one of the Pokemon got a hit to the head by the teen, they all went towards him, causing them to get stuck as they looked at their feet and seeing the sticky strings rendering them immobile.

"What the? You little twerp!" One of the thieves questioned as their eyes widened in shock, running off to attack the raven haired trainer before he had issues moving as well as he lost his balance and accidentally took down the other man with him as they both got stuck into the strings as well.

"Perfect." Red muttered as he snapped his fingers which made Beedrill wrapped the Pokemon into a cocoon of strings. The teen looked up at Shinx, squinting his eyes as Shinx started to look like a living lightning bolt as the Pokemon looked at him.

"You ready, Shinx?" The teen asked as the Pokemon nodded before jumping onto the floor before giving its opponents a deadly glare as it prepared itself. Red smiled confidently as he uttered one word out of his mouth which barely came out as a whisper. "Spark."

As he made his command, Shinx lunged forward, running at top speed as the electricity it build up started to spiral out of control which caused it to make crackles as it touches the ground. Everything went by in a flash as the Flash Pokemon collided with the captured Pokemon, electrifying them and knocking them into the two men who also felt the shock as they flew across the cave and was knocked into a machinery causing an explosion which shook the cave.

'Oh no!' Red's eyes widened as he ran to the direction they flew only to see them wounded but not dead as their body sprawled on the floor, all of them groaning in pain as they could barely move, much to the raven haired teen relief as he let out a breath.

'At least they're ok. I'll just leave you guys to the police.' Red thought as he went to heal his partners who were both still conscious despite the wounds on their bodies. As the teen reached them, he petted them and hugged them which the Pokemon returned as his mouth started to project his thoughts. "I'm glad that they didn't take you guys."

_'__We'll always be here for you, Red. Through thick and thin.' _As he heard the voice, Red blinked as he looked around only to see that he, along with his Pokemon, are the only things in the cavern right now. The raven haired trainer sighed before he went into his bag and started to patch his partners. After he had finished taking care of the Pokemon, he then heard an explosion deep in the cave, alarming him and others as he heard the police sirens.

"C'mon guys. Let's go. We need to stop that woman." Red announced, his Pokemon nodded before they ventured further in the cave. Wandering further in the cave, the sounds of combat started to clearly resonate in the air as the teen finally found a group of vehicles with Ariana yelling at the top of her lungs as they are fighting a Steelix in the distance. As Red finally got near the trucks, the group of adults just finished defeating the Iron Snake as they prepared to drive off as the Pokemon in the cages started to cry out.

'Oh no!' The scarlet eyed teen thought, cramming his brain and thinking fast. His mind then clicked as he took out a sharp piece of rock from his bag before he aimed it at the vehicles, shooting them to hit the tires before he desperately turned to his Pokemon and stated a command. "Beedrill, Poison Sting on their tires quick."

Beedrill then ascended as it raised its stinger, letting out a flurry of needles that hit the vehicles tires, bursting them along with the sharp rocks that Red is shooting at them, which caused all of the vehicles to stop as they started to skid and spin, some of them crashing into each other. The teen smiled triumphantly, going towards the cages before he started to smell something in the air, returning his Pokemon as he quickly retreated from them, much to his frustration as he clicked his teeth. 'What on earth was that?'

He then saw a huge flower by the truck, moving as a Pokemon came out, its black body which is under the huge red and orange flower on its head. Red tightened a handkerchief over his face until he released Shinx and Beedrill, both feeling replenished as they braced themselves and keeping their attention towards their enemy until they heard a clap that echoed through the cage.

"Gotta hand it to you, twerp. You are a lot better than I expected. Beating my Team Rocket grunts which I have trained so well is not an easy feat especially when they're all fighting together. And for that, I must say that is impressive." The woman said as she stopped clapping and raised her hand towards the teen, causing the young trainer to lift his brow.

"I know people with talent and I have to say that you, child, have talent. How about you join Team Rocket?" Ariana asked in a pleading yet demanding voice which caused shivers done Red's spine. The teen backed away slowly which the woman noticed as her smile widened. "What's wrong, sweetie? It would be an awesome opportunity for you to be able to take revenge on those who did you wrong. You would be able to have everything you wanted."

As the words left the redhead's mouth, Red started to look down, his hat covered his eyes as he thought about the offer before he looked at the caged Pokemon and then quickly shaking his head.

"Are you sure, kid? Just think about it. All the riches you could want. Any dream you want, even being the Champion. Everyone who has thought badly of you and you can do what you want with them. You can make them pay! You could have it all!" Red thought about it. There were days since the incident that he had contemplated going through any means necessary to have revenge on them. To let them pay. No matter how much he wanted to prove them wrong and how much he showed them that he's innocent, they ignored him, insulted and hurt him. As the dark thoughts cloud his mind, he then sighed as he cleared himself mentally before looking into Ariana's eyes as he uttered one word which although silent had a lot of weight to it.

"No."

As the redheaded woman heard this, her face quickly changed to that of a wicked scowl as she looked down at the scarlet eyed teenager, gritting her teeth as her eyes seemed like they're glowing with rage.

"You dare?" She said silently as her hair covered her eyes as her shoulders started to twitch.

"YOU DARE?!" She shouted which frightened Red, his partners and the caged Pokemon as the sound echoed through the cave as she continued. "You dare refuse an offer from the great Team Rocket, boy? An offer like this does not come very often, you should be honored that your skills are even seen as noteworthy! For your insolence, I will make sure to make you know pain! Vileplume!"

As she finished, a scent started to waft the area, causing Beedrill and Shinx to feel enamored as they started to get weaker which made Red to return them and retreat behind a nearby boulder that was far away from the toxic mist. Leaning against the rock, he then took out his Pokedex as it scanned the Pokemon, he looked at as it gave him the results of its findings.

_'__Vileplume, the Flower Pokemon and the final evolution of Oddish. By shaking its big petals, it scatters toxic pollen into the air, turning the air yellow.'_

'Great, so it's a Grass and Poison type. And it looks powerful, this is not gonna be easy.' The teen thought before he noticed a ball of sludge coming to his direction, barely getting out of the way as it quickly dissolved the rock into a toxic bubbly puddle.

"Let this be known, young scarlet. My name is Ariana and I'm a Team Rocket Executive." Ariana stated as she jumped off the vehicle and landed beside her Vileplume, patting it on the head before she glared at Red.

"Remember the name for it will be the one you will fear for the rest of your life and afterlife, boy."

**Woah! Things just got real. Hope you guys like this chapter. Man, doing this was so weird as it is different from the actual way I was planning to do this first as there wasn't gonna be any grunts the first time however I played this one game: Pokemon Dark Violet and it gave me an idea on what to do with this. I was planning to introduce Ariana but I didn't know how to do so. Thanks to that game. This is gonna be the one of the few reference of the game. I'm not even sure. Hope you guys like this chapter and enjoying the story so far.**


	16. Chapter 15: Red vs Ariana

"Poison Sting."

As Red made the command, his Beedrill flew to the air before descending at an astonishing speed, readying his stingers as it shot small needles out of them which went towards Vileplume. The Grass type stood unhinged as the needles hit it, the attack barely able to make it move or wince in pain as it dusted itself off.

"You should know by now that there is a huge difference in skill and power, kid. You're not winning this battle, just face the facts. Vileplume, why don't we give him a demonstration?" Ariana said, cackling as her partner let out a ball of sludge at the raven haired teen and his Pokemon. The trio barely dodged the attack before Red quickly fired a flurry of stones which were evaporated by the pollen exerted from Vileplume's flower, which showed to be darker in color from the regular pollen.

'Oh boy.' The raven haired mentally commented before having to dodge another ball of sludge that quickly dissolved a nearby rock. Ariana continued laughing as she watched the boy fleeing for his life like a child watching their favorite cartoon.

"You can grovel and beg for my forgiveness and I may spare your pathetic life." She said, her hearty laugh echoing through the cave almost like she was a ghost in the cave. Red continued to run and dodge for his life as he silently made a command to his Pokemon. "Shinx, Leer. Beedrill, I need you to harden as much as you can."

The Pokemon nodded, each doing their as Beedrill stayed still as its body started to shine and Red taking up Shinx which confused the Pokemon as it looked at him with quizzical expression on its face. The raven haired teen seemed to sense its confusion as he explained his plan. "I'll give you the opening you need to Leer Vileplume. For now, use Charge."

After the young trainer explained, Shinx nodded as it absorbed the particles in the air, its body glowing from the electricity its holding. Red took out a few items which he reserved in his jacket pocket as he ran towards as he swerved and nimbly avoided the attacks that the Grass type threw at him. The teen then shot multiple rocks at the Pokemon which connected through the light miasma, hitting Vileplume on its head before shooting some more. As he shot a few more stones, he quickly changed his angle, aiming and colliding two stones which changed the trajectory of one as it aimed for Ariana. As the Flower Pokemon realized what was going on, it was caught off guard as it saw Shinx, glowing with energy, glaring at it menacingly. Red smiled as he saw this before he made another command. "Now Spark."

Following its trainer command, the Pokemon ran towards the Vileplume as the glow disappeared, surprising both it and Red as it tackled the Vileplume with the standard electrical power of the Electric type move, barely able to move the Grass type.

'What the? What just happened? Shouldn't Spark be stronger after Charge was used?' He thought before he heard an ear piercing screech, turning his attention to Ariana who was holding her right hand which had blood trickling from it. With eyes full of fury and anger and her teeth grinded to the point that the whole cave could enhance the noise, she yelled in a voice that most would compare to the same wavelength and volume as a Loudred. "YOU INSOLENT LITTLE FUCKER! HOW DARE YOU HURT A ME, AN ADMIN?! A FUCKING ADMIN OF TEAM ROCKET!"

Her voice roared through the cave, causing Red and the other Pokemon to flinch at the sound of it. The redhead then started to pant heavily as her right eye started twitching uncontrollably, not able to control her immense rage as she glared at the raven haired teen. If looks could kill, Red would be eviscerated and murdered within a millisecond once Ariana's eyes focused on him.

"THAT'S IT! NO MORE PLAYING AROUND! VILEPLUME, SLUDGE BOMB!" The woman shrieked, Vileplume nodded before it shot another Sludge Bomb at Shinx, barely dodging the attack but was hit when part of the attack splashed on it, much to its trainer's worry. The raven haired teen ran to the Pokemon and picked it up, fleeing as he sidestepped from the direction of another ball of sludge which hit his arm, causing a painful burning sensation to the teen who bit his lip and continued running as he endured it. As he ran back to Beedrill and went to shelter behind a huge boulder, he looked at Shinx to see it was badly wounded however it was able to survive the attack but when he saw the shocked look on his Pokemon faces, he turned to the direction of their stares and was startled to see his entire arm almost purple. 'My arm!'

The teen tried to lift his arm realizing it was numb and barely able to move.

'Could be worse.' He mentally commented before he went into his bag, taking out one of his emergency Full Restores along with a Super Potion. Quickly and carefully, the raven haired teen applied the medicine to Shinx and Beedrill all the while giving himself an Antidote for his condition before he heard Ariana's yells and screams echoing through the cave.

"I SWEAR I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD SERVED ON A SILVER PLATTER, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" As the words echoes and resonated through the cave, Red bear witness and realized that the boulder that he was hiding behind melted instantly as Vileplume shot multiple Sludge bomb at the teen and his Pokemon, each covering and blocking every escape route that he was running towards, much to the young trainer's dismay. Before long, the raven haired teen realized that he was surrounded by a puddle of sludge, hearing Ariana's laughing evilly at his situation.

"What's wrong, child? You seem stuck. Oh boo hoo! Poor boy." She mocked the teen, faking a worried expression before she continued laughing. Red growled silently at the admin before he took a look at his surroundings, observing the almost melting rocks around him before he got an idea, turning to take a look at the cages of captured Pokemon to see some of them having switches. Finding the location of each switch, he put down his bag as he check his supplies before he took out his slingshot, aiming it straight at Ariana as he prepared three stones, much to the woman's confusion.

"You dare point that thing at me? AGAIN?! Plus, do you not realize that Vileplume here can melt your little stones, boy?" She said before the teen shot them at her, her Vileplume's pollen protruding at the teen's ammo, melting them, much to Ariana's delight as she smirked at the teen. Her eyes widened as a fourth stone went their way and hit the vehicle, exploding into a cloud of black smoke that enveloped the red haired woman and her Pokemon as they both coughed in the thick haze. Red smiled at the result of his Smoke Ball as he ran to both Shinx and Beedrill, getting a plan as he shared his plan with them, both of his Pokemon agreeing with him as they made prepared themselves.

As the smoke cleared, Ariana opens her eyes to look around before she heard a command that echoed through the cave.

"Spark now!"

As the words resonated through the air, the redhead saw Shinx running towards her at an astonishing speed as it's enveloped within a huge veil of electricity, much to the woman and her Vileplume's surprise.

"What the?" Those were the only words that escaped her mouth and both of them dodged the Electric type, only to see Beedrill flying towards, almost in front of them as it jabbed the Vileplume multiple times with it stinger, frightened to see that the Vileplume was unaffected. The Bug type attempted again to only be rewarded with failure once more as Vileplume brushed away the attacks like it was nothing.

"Try as you might, Vileplume is way str-" Ariana's threat was interrupted as a loud sound behind her, turning to see Shinx hitting the cages, breaking the bars of some of them and knocking over a few others which released some of the captured Pokemon as they ran away and went back into the cave with some of them thanking the Electric type. The woman's teeth started to grind and grit as he regained her angry composure, ready to destroy everything and anything that was unfortunate enough to be in her path. The redhead was about to make a command until she saw a rock flying to her face, barely dodging it as she saw a group of Geodude holding stones and throwing, she then got attacked by a pack of Zubats and Golbats which knocked her back and onto the ground. As she looked around, she saw the once captured Pokemon of Mt Moon, all of them going against her and getting ready. Ariana then realized when looking through the crowd that something was amiss.

Red was not there.

Before she could fully register, she then heard multiple banging sounds along with the cries of a familiar Pokemon she has encountered before, her mind playing one question. 'I-It can't be, can it?'

Once she turned around, her suspicions were answered as she saw the once defeated Steelix glaring at her with angry eyes before she saw Red riding on its back, aiming and shooting at the cages and hitting the switches which released more captured Pokemon. Before Ariana realized it, she was surrounded by almost every inhabitant of Mt. Moon which made one of the red haired woman's eyes start to twitch uncontrollably as she look at the vehicles to see three cages still holding Pokemon.

"All our work… gone just like that…" She commented with a dumbfounded expression on her face before she saw one of the switches of the cage get hit, turning her gaze to the teen who was jumping off Steelix and making his way towards the last cages, much to her frustration.

"Vileplume…" Ariana said in a silent and threatening which made the Flower Pokemon turn to its trainer with a scared look on its face. The woman then lifted her arm as she said one phrase. "…take them out...and get the boy."

As the words left her mouth, Vileplume went against every inhabitant, holding its own against the congregation and easily knocking Pokemon as it made its way to the scarlet eyed trainer. Witnessing this, Red clicked his teeth as he saw the Grass-type making a B-line towards him as he tried his best to accelerate himself. He then made himself to the cages only to be stopped as he barely dodge a blast of light that made a crater on the ground before him. The teen was pushed away from his initial position as another blast came and missed him again. The teen let out a breath that he didn't know he held until he saw a pink Pokemon with wings beside him, barely able to get time to think as the pink fairy started dragging him into the direction of the cages as others started to follow and shield the teen which barely did a difference as Vileplume quickly took care of them, still in pursuit of the trainer.

'Damn it. It's still gaining on us. C'mon, body. Just a little bit more.' Red thought as he picked up the pink Pokemon and increased his speed as much as he could to escape the Grass type. Before Vileplume could attack, it was suddenly attacked by a Disarming Voice from Clefairy which made it disorientated as a group of Zubats let out a Supersonic at it which made it dizzy. The Grass type teetered in its track as it tries to gain its bearing and chase the young trainer only be attacked by the Steelix as they both battled, resulting in a stalemate despite Vileplume's wobbly condition. Red then got to the vehicles, climbing them and seeing Ariana running towards him, pushing and knocking away all her pursuers and assailants while glaring at them with fury in her eyes. "I WILL KILL YOU!"

"Alright, Clefairy. Let's quickly get to the cages and free your other friends." The raven haired teen said to the Fairy type as they quickly hurried to the cages.

Realizing that the switches were either broken or out of reach, Red quickly thought as he took up a pick axe and used all his strength to smash the bars open, taking a bit of time as the bars were strong. He then broke some of the bars of the first cage as he made his way to the second, using all his strength to knock it open, getting help from the Geodude which made him have an easier time breaking them. As he made his way to the third one, he got knocked off the vehicle along with the other Pokemon, looking up to see one of the workers looking at him with a purple bat with a tongue out of its mouth flapping its wings beside him.

"Nice one, Golbat. Keep up the work." The man commented to the purple Pokemon who squealed happily.

Ariana then caught up to them, a wicked smile coming across her face as she saw that some of the grunts are regaining their consciousness as they surrounded the teen. If things could not get worse, the cave shook intensely which surprised everyone, turning their attention to see Steelix and the other Pokemon on the ground and Vileplume walking towards Ariana, barely scathed from the battle.

"Nice job Vileplume. Now where were we?" The admin said, petting her Pokemon before she turned her gaze at Red who was barely able to gain his balance as he panted, looking at his poisoned arm.

'The poison is getting worse by the minute. This is not gonna end well.' The teen thought as he observed that the odds are against him as Ariana cackled once again before holding out her hand towards the teen, confusing her grunts and the young trainer.

"You have one last chance, kid. How about that offer? With the skills that you have, you could be an Admin in time with the proper training." She said as the other men looked at the teen in jealously and anger, some surprised at the offer.

"Miss Ariana a-actually offering an invitation? That doesn't happen often."

"…it doesn't happen at all…"

"You better take the offer, kid. Not everyone gets taken in by an Admin."

As they commented on the situation, Red was able to gain the energy to stand upright as he looked at Ariana with confidence in his eyes as he muttered one word out of his mouth.

"No."

The woman's eye started twitching as a vein appeared on her forehead before she let out a breath to calm herself down, shaking her head and she looked at the boy with a scowl on her face.

"As you wish, child. At least, I will give you a death worth of merit for making me work up a sweat." She said as she snapped her fingers, Vileplume walking up in front of her and ready to shoot before out of nowhere, the Grass type got enveloped in a blue hue, confusing everyone in the cave. Before anything was said or mentionined, the Pokemon was sent flying towards Ariana, knocking both of them into the workers, much to Red's confusion.

"What the-" Before she could finish her statement, she heard sirens all over the cave which made her click her tongue in frustration and cursed under her breath as she made a command to the men. "Let's go. We need to go now. We have no time. Take up everything you can. This is over."

The sirens got louder as she returned her Pokemon and got into one of the vehicles, the rest of the grunts following her as they hurried and drove off. Snapping out of his stupor and realizing that Team Rocket was leaving, Red immediately threw the pick axe in his hand towards the cage, making a dent before he shoot all of his ammo at it, barely able to do anything as the rocks broke on contact. As he was about to get out some more from his pocket, he was quickly put a chokehold as he saw that the attacker was one of the workers from his previous battles. The teen's scarlet eyes widen as he saw the rest of them waking up, releasing their own Pokemon which consisted of a Golem, Tyranitar and a Rhydon. As soon as the Pokemon came out, they were instantly knocked out as an immense shockwave threw some of the men off balance.

"How di-" The man could not finish his thought as he got struck at the neck, dropping Red to the floor as the teen finally was able to breath. The teen looked around to see someone who quickly dealt with the other men easily, knocking all of them out in record timing. As the man finished, he turned to Red and walked up to the teen. As the cave got some light shining through, Red was able to notice the man as all he had was a karate gi, minus the shirt with two solid wristbands on his arms with spiky black hair and piercing black eyes as he picked up the teen and shaking his hand.

"Good work out there, young trainer. Not most would've had the heart to accomplish what you have done." He said as Red looked down at the floor with a frustrated expression about to say a word until the man cut him off again.

"I understand your frustration, boy. They got away, able to see another day but think about it like this: you fought with people capable of taking on the strongest gym leaders and even the Elite Four and managed to hold your own despite the difference in strength and skill. And besides…" The man paused as he put his hand on Red's shoulder and turn him around to look at the cave to see the inhabitants thanking him and going to their living quarters in the cave. The scene caused something to click in the teenager's heart as his mouth curved upwards, the man patting the kid on the shoulder once more.

"Do not kill yourself over what you weren't able to do, young one. No one is able to save everyone but try to save as much as you can at least. Most trainers would think about winning the battle to be heroic. You're different. You thought about what you could do while holding them off as much as possible. And that is just as heroic." The man said as a Pokemon appeared beside him, it was a blue Pokemon with a tuft of yellow hair on its chest, resembling a dog.

"Ah! Lucario. Everything is taken care of." The man asked, the Pokemon responded by nodding quickly. The man then turned his gaze towards the boy.

"Remember, young one. You need failure to grow as well. Every success story starts with failure." The man said before he went off to the direction of Pewter City, waving with his back turned to Red, who returned the gesture. 'Thank you, sir.'

The teen then reunited with Beedrill and Shinx who both gave him a bear hug as he turned towards the inhabitants who all thanked him, some of them giving him Berries and other items as a sign of their gratitude before they went their separate ways. Red and his Pokemon continued through the cave, tired and worn out from the fighting until he was able to see light through the cave, coming out to see the night sky as he felt the breeze tickling his skin. The trio wobbled as he passed a sign that says 'Out of Mt Moon. You're on Route 4.'

The trio then took refuge under a bunch of trees, too tired to make camp as Red pulled out their sleeping bags as Shinx and Beedrill snuggled up beside him as they both quickly rested. The raven haired teen looked up at the sky, watching the stars twinkle as he closed his eyes, ready to get some sleep as he reminisced the events that happened prior.

'Today was hectic but I'm glad that everything went better than expected. I just wished I could save everyone else though.' As he paused, his face hardened before he continued before he looked at his Pokemon.

'Team Rocket, huh? I only heard rumors about them. I never knew they were real. Also, that man, he and his Lucario, I think that was what he called it, they were strong. Took care of everyone in a flash… I wish…I could get his name…' As the final thought went from Red's head, the teen yawned as he went to sleep.

* * *

A tapping sound resonated through the dark room as three silhouettes filled the room as they all stared at an empty chair, impatience present in their behavior. It was then that they heard a door open as the man with the spiky black hair and the piercing black eyes wearing a gi came into the room, sitting down on the chair with his arms folding as he saw the others looked at him with annoyed expressions.

"What took you so long? We were supposed to have this meeting minutes ago."

"Calm down. Four eyes, you need to learn to live a little…but she has a point. That is what phones and letters are for, young man."

"Speak for yourself, you hag. You need to do us a favor and retire!"

"All right! Be quiet!"

Everyone was silent as the silhouette in the middle slammed his hands on the desk, his cape flowing before he sat down and turned his gaze towards the man in the gi.

"Time to start our meeting, everyone. It is nice of you to join us this time, Bruno. A little late but thanks" The man said, to which Bruno responds with a silent nod as he kept his hands crossed.

"Now let us begin. Shall we?"

**This chapter was nuts. Everything about it. Hope you liked the fact that Ariana is super strong because seriously, would it make sense that Team Rocket was around for so long and not one of them was able to take on the Gym Leaders or even the Elite Four. Also, how do you guys like Bruno's reveal at the end, I feel like if anyone should have a Lucario, it should be him. Well, I hope that you like the triple chapter threat. Tell me how you feel about it for I may publish the chapters in this fashion from time to time. Thanks for the views and reviews for the story. Enigma out. **


	17. Chapter 16: Learning a Mega Lesson

Red opens his scarlet orbs just to shut them again, shielding them from the sun that shone across his face. The teen then got up silently, making sure not to wake up Shinx who was cuddling in the sleeping bag and leaving the Electric type in the bag to sleep as he went towards his backpack. After a half a minute of searching in his bag, he pulled out some medicine and took off the bandage on his right arm, seeing that his arm was returning back to his original skin color before reapplying some medicine and a new bandage on the arm. The teen then fished out some Berries and a small pot before he collected some sticks around the area, placing them down along with some stones and igniting them as he laid the pot between the rocks. After a few minutes of cooking, Red heard shuffling, turning to see Shinx slowly opening its eyes as the little Pokemon raised itself from the sleeping bag and stretched before it made its way towards him, rubbing its head by his leg, rewarding a smile on the raven haired teen.

"Looks like someone had a good sleep. Breakfast will be done in a minute." The teen said as he crouched and patted the Electric type which earned a happy squeal from it. He then got up as he turned back to the pot, making sure that nothing has been burnt.

"Can you wake up Beedrill please? I think she's still sleeping in the tree." Red said as he stir the pot, Shinx nodding as it climbed one of the tree and then hopped from tree to tree as it searched for its party member. As the raven haired trainer finished the meal and shared his partners' portion, his body sensed something as he involuntarily backed away before Beedrill fell on the spot in front of him, rubbing its head, much to the teen's surprise.

'What…just happened?' Red thought as he blinked before he crouched, put down the bowls and rub Bee Pokemon's head which caused it to relax.

"Sorry about that. We had to wake you up somehow. C'mon, Shinx! Come down. Food is ready." The teen said as he looked up into the trees, wondering where the Electric type is. His eyes widened as he once again involuntarily moved his hands to his left, catching Shinx as it fell out of the tree, surprising himself again. As he contemplated on what is going on, he sensed something in the bushes, almost like something that is watching.

'Ok, today is weird. When was my body able to react that quickly?' The teen thought as he put down Shinx, allowing it and Beedrill to eat their breakfast as he went towards the bushes to investigate, his slingshot in his hand. As he quietly peered through the leaves, something jumped through it, surprising the young trainer as it went towards his pot.

"My Berry porridge! Oh no you don't." The teen said as he shoot a rock at the creature's head, knocking it out as it slide on the grass.

'Bullseye!' Red mentally celebrated as he went towards the surprise visitor, his eyes widening as he saw a pink Pokemon on the floor, rubbing the spot where the teen shot it.

"Isn't this the same Clefairy that helped me yesterday?" Red said as he lifted up the Pokemon and rested it on its back. He then patted Clefairy at the spot of the shot, earning a pained groan from it.

"Sorry about the shot there, little guy. Thought you were a burglar or something." The teen stated as he went to the pot and shared some food before laying the bowl in front of the Fairy type. Clefairy looked at the bowl before it turned to Red only to look at the bowl again.

"Take that as a way of me saying sorry." The Pokemon refused until its stomach betrayed it, growling loudly. Hearing this, Beedrill and Shinx laughed loudly with the raven haired trying his best to hold his chuckle, pushing the bowl to a now blushing Clefairy who then ate the meal, started to consume it greedily as it asked for seconds to which the teen obliged.

As they all finished their breakfast, they packed up before continuing on the route which was peaceful due to there being barely any trainer or wild Pokemon in sight. They then continued wandered through the forestry of trees until Clefairy ran in front of the trio, checking in one of the bushes and stretching out its hand towards the teen. Red walked forward as he crouched to the Fairy type, taking the item which was a Big Mushroom and patting the Pokemon on its head, earning a squeal of content from it as it heard the teen said a "Thank you" to it. It then suddenly remembered something, causing it to shrug off the teen's hand which alerted both Beedrill and Shinx before it started making punching gestures in the air.

"You want a fight, Clefairy?" The teen said to which the Pokemon nodded before it started shadow boxing, its body shaking with anticipation. Red looked at his Pokemon before Beedrill descended on the grass on grass, bracing for a fight. The two face off each other before Clefairy leaped forward, winding its stubby arms as it makes its way towards the Bee Pokemon.

"Poison Sting." Red commanded, causing Beedrill to attack to raise its stinger as it lunged forward. Both Pokemon clashed, the Bug type winning as it easily pushed away the Fairy type, knocking it unto the ground. Clefairy got up again, running towards the Bee Pokemon with another fist which was rewarded with failure as it got jabbed in the stomach by the yellow bee, knocking it backwards again. The pink fairy raised its fist again as it charges Beedrill, not getting a hit as the Bug type knocked it away with its stingers every time it get close, motioning for Red not to give it any commands.

'Never expected the battle to be like this.' The young trainer said as he witnessed once again as Clefairy was knocked away, wincing as it sliding across the ground. Beedrill turned around and sighed, flying away before it heard the Fairy type call it, turning around to see the Pokemon struggling to raise itself from the ground. They all witnessed the Pokemon once again, ran towards the bee before once again knocked to the bushes.

'Why doesn't it use any other moves apart from Pound?' Red mentally questioned as he watched the battle, his hand ascending to his chin. Having enough, the teen got up and went between the two Pokemon, stopping them before he turned to Clefairy who had a scowl on its face as it folded its arms over its chest. Kneeling down on one knee and putting his hand on the pink fairy's head, he then looked at it before he opened his mouth and said. "Why are you only using Pound, Clefairy? Are you alright?"

The teen then rubbed its hair which earned an annoyed cry from the Fairy type as the rest of his Pokemon gathered around them. It then huffed before it turned its back and walked away, shrugging off Red's hand. Before Red could do or say anything, a loud voice echoed through the air which startled the teen and his team.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

As the group looked around for the owner of the voice before two men appeared from the sky, landing on the grass with a loud thud. Noticing the two men on the grass in a sitting position before them, confusion took over Red's mind before they both got up, the teen then realizing that they were both dressed in white karate gis, one of them had scars around his face with a ponytail and the second man's hair is spiky, almost reaching his shoulders.

'They're dressed just like the man I met in Mt. Moon. Well with shirts.' The raven haired teen thought as he examined the two men as they made their way towards his Pokemon, a serious expression on each of their faces.

"Such ferocity. Such strength." The first man commented as he circled the teenager and his Pokemon, observing them with his chin in his hand.

"Such determination. Such skill." The other man said circling them as well, going in the opposite direction and pattern of the first. The group stood confused before the two men went to the red capped teen, startling him before they both put a hand on his shoulders before they both smiled and said. "You passed, young one!"

As they both said that, Red lifted one of his brows before they sat on the grass, motioning the teen to sit down which he obliged along with his Pokemon. The man in the ponytail started to clear his throat as he began his explanation. "My name is Ken and this is my twin brother Ashi. For years, we have endlessly trained and honed our skills with our Pokemon in order to surpass our limits. We train for enlightenment."

As Ken stopped speaking, his brother continued the explanation and not missing a beat. "While training, we reached our goal, surpassing and going past our limitations through determination and willpower. From that goal, we were rewarded and we found out about attacks that goes beyond the imagination of pure strength."

As he finished, both men quickly sprang up from the grass, startling Red and his Pokemon before they started closing their eyes and clasping their hands, levelling their breathing. After a moment of silence, Ken let out a punch that caused a slight shockwave as he stated. "A punch of roaring ferocity, packed with destructive power. That is the move known as Mega Punch. An attack like no other."

Ashi let out a kick that also let out a force of wind as well before he spoke. "A kick of brutal ferocity, that sends out a destructive force. That is the move known as Mega Kick. A kick like no other."

As the words left their mouth, Red turned to his Pokemon, noticing a glint in Clefairy's eyes after it saw the moves that the men did as it started to shake out of pure excitement. It then got up and ran to the men, dragging on their clothes as it started punching and kicking the air. Watching the Pokemon brought a smile on both Ken and Ashi's faces as they both crouched down to eye level with the Fairy type.

"I see you would like to learn the move Mega Punch, little one. You have taste and understand power." The man in the ponytail stated as he puts his chin in his hand as his smile transformed into a smirk. As the words exited his mouth, his brother's eye started to twitch before he turned to him and protested. "What do you mean, brother? And how do you know that it wants to learn your lame Mega Punch and not my amazing Mega Kick?!"

"Hmm, I see. So you would like to Mega Punch or Mega Kick, little one?" Ken stated as the Pokemon responds by punching and kicking. Ashi then stepped in as he stated something that caused his brother to look at him with widened eyes like he grew a second head. "Y-you want to learn both moves?"

As the words left his mouth, the Fairy type quickly nodded as it once again started shadow boxing, much to the men's surprise. In surprise, both men looked at each other before they started to be deep in thought until Ken opened his mouth.

"Would you like to call a truce, brother Ashi?"

"Of course, Ken." Ashi agreed as both men extended their hands for a handshake, smiling at each other.

"So who's teaching it their move first?" Ken asked as his brother put a hand on his chest.

"That would be me, brother."

"Why, Ashi? I'm older so it should be me first!"

"But my move is stronger so I should go first!"

As the two men continued to bicker, Red walked to Clefairy, putting his hand on its head as he asked it a question. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" The Pokemon nodded quickly to his question before it started to jump up in happiness which made the teen realized something.

"You don't like using special moves, do you?" Red asked as the Pokemon looked away as it shook its head, much to the concern of the raven haired teenager. He then petted Clefairy as the pink creature looked at him with eyes of surprise and hope.

"Don't worry. I'll be with you, Clefairy. We're all gonna help you." The red capped trainer said as Shinx and Beedrill agreed with him, causing a single tear to fall down its face. As both of them reconciled, they heard Ken and Ashi coming up to them with a few scratches on their face and smiles spread across their faces.

"Are you ready to start?" Ken and Ashi questioned in sync as Clefairy nodded quickly, jumping onto Red's shoulder as they are about to start their training. The men nodded as the teen and his Pokemon started walking with them to the training grounds, ready to commence their training alongside Clefairy.

"Now first Clefairy, what you will need to do is that you will need to surpass your limit and train on your strength, here you go." Ken stated as he gave it a brace which immediately fell to the ground as the fairy type tries to hold it in its hands.

"This is what they call a Power Bracer, it increases the strength of the Pokemon that holds it. After a while, your Clefairy should be able to dish out blows strong enough to hold its own against a Machoke! It allows your arms to be strong enough to reach the level to utilize the move Mega Punch." Ken explained as he applied the braces to Clefairy's body before he stood up. He then started to punch the air, motioning Clefairy to follow him as they both do it, a little bit of difficulty for the Fairy Pokemon. After a couple minutes, the Fairy type started to get exhausted, taking a break as the raven haired teen allowed it to rest. After its rest, it then tried again as it started shadow boxing, feeling immense straining as it could barely move its arms. After an hour, it decided to give up, about to take off the bracers before Red put his hand over its arms, looking at it with a serious yet concerned expression on his face.

"Why do you want to get strong, Clefairy?" The teen asked, his gaze not wavering from the pink Pokemon as it started to fold its arms, with slight difficulty due to the weights on its wrists. Realizing that Clefairy was not going to say anything or budge, the raven haired trainer sighed as he took off his jacket, gloves, shoes and socks and put on bracers for himself, much to the surprise of the Pokemon.

"Remember that you're not alone in this. I'll be here to help you." Red stated as he felt the weight of the bracers, struggling to stand up but was able to after a few attempts. He then went to do the punching pose as Clefairy simply watched him before it decided to muster up the strength to get up and join him, much to his delight. As the day passed by and another comes like the sun on the horizon, Clefairy was given leg braces to keep up the strength of its legs as it had to train its feet by kicking the air, gaining confidence from its trainer and friends.

After two days of intense training, the time finally came when Clefairy gets to show the results of its training as it faced Ken and Ashi with Red by its side. The men then took off the bracers off the Pokemon as they then motioned it towards a boulder.

"Show us how strong you are now, young Clefairy! Show us your strength and clench your fists! Use Mega Punch on the boulder!" Ken shouted, earning a nod from the Fairy type when it got up and approached the rock before it turned around, getting a thumbs up and a smile from Red as it then turned around back and looked towards at its goal with determination and confidence. The Pokemon started to wind back and clench its fist as its hands started to glow red and surrounded by a white aura trail before it punched the boulder, breaking the rock into multiple pieces of pebbles that scattered across the area, much to the surprise of the red capped trainer and his team. Witnessing the results of the training, a tear came down from Ken's face as he smiled at the outcome before he turned to his brother, putting a hand on his shoulder and nodding at him before turning around and saying. "Congratulations, Clefairy! You have successfully learnt the move Mega Punch. I'm proud of you."

As the words left the man's mouth, Clefairy looked at its hand before the widest smile started to appear on its face while Ashi then came to it, motioning the pink creature to another boulder as he then turned around to it and stated. "Come now. Show me the strength of your feet and use Mega Kick!"

Once again in battle stance, Clefairy's foot started to glow red as it jumped at the boulder foot first as a white trail followed the limb. As its foot collided with the rock formation, smashing it into millions of pebbles and rubbles that scattered through the air, some hitting Red, Shinx and Beedrill as they had to shield themselves from the rocky rain. Amazed at what happened, the Fairy type looked at the results of its training through the destroyed boulders before it turned around and see the smiling faces of Ken and Ashi before it saw its trainer grinning face as he gave it two thumbs up. Feeling accomplished, it then started running to hug him as the others joined them and celebrating Clefairy's newly learnt moves. After the celebration, then came the time when Red and his Pokemon had to part ways with the experienced duo as the young trainer and the men shook hands before they turned to the Fairy type on the teen's shoulder.

"It was a very amusing couple of days training with you two. I wish you both good luck." Ken said as he bowed to the Pokemon, it responds by mimicking his movements. Ashi then walked up to the Pokemon as he held its hands and stated. "Show everyone the strength and power of those attacks! Let everyone and your next challenge know the move that surpasses limits."

When those words left his mouth, the boy and the Fairy Pokemon nodded with a glint of confidence in their eyes, causing the two men to smile when they notice it. Going off into the sunset, Red high fived Clefairy before they continued on their way towards Cerulean City.

* * *

Underneath the bustling and loud streets of Celadon City, things were silent within the hidden basement level of the esteemed Game Corner. Multiple men and women in black were doing patrol of the different exits, some were slacking off and talking and others were lifting boxes of merchandise and other treasures and commodities to various rooms. Further down a couple floors from where the men and women working, exists a floor where darkness roams. Within the shadows is a room concealed by two metal doors and protected by two tall guards. In the room, a conversation goes on as two silhouettes sit before one that is kneeling on the floor.

"Status report, Ariana." The man in the middle said with a voice so intimidating that it caused the redhead to unconsciously shiver in fear. Ariana then positioned herself on the ground in a more comfortable posture as she cleared her throat and speak. "Yes, Master Giovanni. The mission went with a success. The fossils were extracted along with a variety of Nuggets and Evolutionary stones as well. Recruits were made to-"

"I heard that you had resistance from the police on your mission." The man interrupted, his piercing stare feeling like it could put a Scyther's claws to shame. "Is that correct, Ariana?"

"I-indeed boss… Not to worr-" The redhead stuttered before she was interrupted once again by Giovanni which caused her to yelp and shut up.

"Did you lose anything?"

"A-a couple cages of captured Pokemon… from the Mt. Moon area…"

"What?!" Giovanni exclaimed, his voice echoing through the dark room, causing Ariana to sweat at her brow as his fist colliding with the table caused another sound that resonated through the room. As silence filled the room, the man calmed down before continuing.

"What caused this to happen, Ariana? What caused an Admin such as yourself to fail like this? Has the police increase in their battle strength or did an Elite Four Member or a Gym Leader came to the scene? I must know."

Ariana was about to reply until she was once again interrupted, this time by the silhouette that was beside Giovanni whose blue hair was barely visible in the darkness. "It was a child, sir."

'Archer…' The redhead thought venomously as she glared at the blue haired man before their boss began again. "What? A child, Archer? Explain." The man ordered as Archer nodded.

"Indeed, sir. Ariana did clear her mission outstandingly however during her escape through Mt. Moon, it was stated by some of the grunts that a teenager managed to stall her and become such an eyesore that she lost some of the cages that she had caught." The blue haired man explained which caused Ariana to sweat profusely as he finished, waiting for the boss's thoughts.

"Interesting. Is this true, Ariana?" Giovanni asked as he turned his gaze to the scarlet haired woman.

"Y-yes, sir. It is true." Ariana admitted in defeat as her gaze fell to the floor.

"I see…" The boss then thought before he opened his mouth and questioned. "What does the child look like? What was his clothing and appearance?"

"He had a red cap with an Earth Badge, a red jacket with a black undershirt and blue jeans with some white sneakers. His hair is black, hiding his face which made me unable to see his eyes." The red haired admin explained.

"And from some of my reports, some of the grunts stated that this child carries a slingshot and has unsettling 'powers'. They state that he had glowing red eyes. Like that of the demon Giratina." As the words left Archer's man, Giovanni instinctively held a breath before he calmed down and exhaled before he asked one more question. "His Pokemon?"

"So far, he used a Shinx and Beedril during the mission, he was very good with utilizing them despite them being lower leveled." Ariana said as Giovanni nodded before turning to Archer.

"Archer, I want you to make a status review and a warning report about this teenager. Ariana, escort Archer and tell him everything that you know about the kid. Everything." The boss commanded as both Admins nodded and went out of the room, leaving him as the only occupant within the dark space.

"Glowing red eyes, huh? …Could it be? Well, whoever it is, they will experience the wrath of Team Rocket soon enough."

As the words left Giovanni's mouth, the man chuckled which eerily spread through the room, giving anyone a chill up their spine as he went to plan his next move.

**Wazzup, guys. Sorry for the long hiatus. This crisis actually got me working a lot more than I thought I would and for the first time in a while, I'm able to get some rest. So I hope that you will enjoy this chapter and I will be dishing out some more soon. One more maybe coming out later today if it's a perfect world. Also, yes. Red's Beedrill is a female, his Clefairy is a male. Also, do you guys like the little side story that I gave to the Mega Punch and Mega Kick tutors? There will also be a surprise character for the next chapter. I wonder if you guys can recognize them before the end of the story. Well, thanks for reviewing my story and I just hope that you guys will enjoy this one. Please take care of yourselves and your family during these times and enjoy your days. Enigma out!**


	18. Chapter 17: Choices

The leaves danced and the trees lean with the silent rhythm of the invisible howls as Red and company found themselves at the entrance to the next city of Cerulean which is home to his second badge. They all looked in awe while they observed the various different houses along with the infamous Kanto Bike Shop before they started to step foot into the city in search for a Pokemon Center. The cool winds blew through the houses of Cerulean City when Red and company wandered through the streets, realizing that the place is a lot more deserted than he expected which made him confused. 'Usually there would be people around. It's 5:30 PM. It's not that late.'

Sounds started to echo through the quiet which caught the raven haired teen's attention as he looked around, seeing nothing in sight. Shrugging it off as nothing and continuing through Cerulean City, he then heard several sounds, some of them sounding very close before Shinx started growling and Clefairy started to get into a battle stance, alerting the young trainer once again when he started to observe the area and search for anything that moves. After a few minutes of looking around and not finding anything, Red then slowly continued through the street, making sure to look around while the sun started to descend and go under the horizon. Noticing that Shinx has not moved from its spot, the teen quickly took out his slingshot and gathered some stones when he heard a voice in the distance.

"Thief now!" As those words left the person's mouth, Red saw a blur before he hastily stated his command to his own Pokemon. "Clefairy, use Copycat to mimic the Pokemon movements and Shinx, use Charge."

Clefairy's eyes started to glow before it started to move in a blur while Shinx started to glow when it absorbed the electrical particles in the air. The moment they heard a cry of pain, Red quickly commanded the Electric-type to use Spark which it did as it attacked the silhouette with an empowered electrical powered tackle, knocking it back into a wall. As they all gathered around the Pokemon, the raven haired teen took out his Pokedex and use it to scan the thing to see if it's a Pokemon when the Pokedex made a finding.

"Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokemon. This cunning Pokémon hides in the cover of darkness, waiting to attack its prey."

As he read the description of the Pokemon, the teen looked at Sneasel who was unconscious on the ground before he noticed someone come out of the shadows, running towards him. As soon as the person got close enough, his red eyes widened when he saw the shine of the knife that the person had along with the pure blood lust in their eyes which slightly startled him as he stepped back. On instinct and pure adrenaline, the red capped trainer quickly aimed his slingshot and shot the person's hand, making them release the knife which they quickly caught in their other hand as they continued charging, ignoring the pain. Red continued shooting to only fail when he was suddenly attacked from behind by various shards that imbedded into his back, immediately making him feel extremely cold as he looked back and see Sneasel gaining back consciousness. The raven haired was about to yell a command until he heard Shinx's cry, making him turn around and was face to face with the knife as he stopped it, fighting off the attacker as they pushed him into a wall which knocked his cap off and increase the pain of the shards that were in his back.

The person who was shown in the light was a individual in a Gyarados hoodie whose face was hidden as their bloodshot eyes glared at the teen while the knife got closer to his abdomen. The struggle continued before Shinx attacked the person with Spark, saving Red and knocking the assailant into a bunch of trash cans. Thanking the Electric type, he then turned his gaze to Sneasel who was having issues while fighting Clefairy before it was attacked by Shinx causing it to crash into a wall as they both started to double team the Pokemon. The Dark-type then disappear which caused the trio to be surprised and on alert until they heard a sound from another direction, seeing the hooded figure now gone, much to their anxiety. The three started to search around until they heard no sounds anymore, much to their relief as they let out a breath that they didn't know they held.

'Well, that was an event.' The teen mentally comments before he went for his cap to realize that it wasn't there. The teen looked around only to see that the cap could not be found, he then looked at his Pokemon to see that neither Shinx nor Clefairy has his cap and Beedrill is sleeping in its Pokeball.

"Where's my cap? Oh no! Where's the cap?" Red thought aloud while he searched frantically throughout the area, including the trash bins but was rewarded with failure as he could not find his cap. He then remembered the move that the hooded figure used and his eyes widened when he dashed into the alleyway that the person was before the Sneasel picked him up, his Pokemon following after him.

'It could've taken my medicine, my berries but why did it have to go for my cap.' The teen thought when he found himself on another street, unable to tell which way their attackers went, much to his worry and frustration. He was about to pick a random direction until he heard Shinx call for him, pointing in a different direction to which he looked at the direction and then back to it.

"You think that's where they went?" He asked, receiving a nod from the Electric type as it led the way, making him follow while he put Clefairy over his hatless head. As he sprinted through streets and alleyways, he then found the hooded bandit along with a gang of them before he quickly took refuge behind a wall as he listened to their conversation. Red eavesdropped while he sneak a peek at the people, realizing that most of them are bald men before he saw the person and their Sneasel taking out various items out of their bag, including his hat which got the teen visibly angered as he put his hands in his pockets to calm himself and assess the situation.

"This…was all you could find, twerp?" One of the men said before the hooded person slowly nod before speaking.

"…sorry…there was not much people on the street…" Red was surprised when he heard that the voice was feminine which still did not soften or decrease his anger when he took another look at his hat.

"That doesn't justify the situation, Kim. You should have more loot."

"But Dread, I couldn't-"

"No more complaints, you damn wench! You better watch who you're talking to, you little shit!" One of the men started to shout when the raven haired teen started to step back, making a call to the police before he hit something with his foot which echoed throughout the whole as he and Shinx started to groan simultaneously with Clefairy blinking in confusion.

"Seriously?!" He whisper shouted before he heard the men being alerted when they searched the area, some of them with guns in their hands along with the hooded figure, now known as Kim who was grabbed by the arm by the man known as Dread who was glaring into her eyes.

"We will deal with you later, twerp. C'mon!" He stated in a dangerous tone which made Kim shudder in fear before she nodded silently when he dragged her off, not waiting for her response. At this point, Red was already in another alleyway finishing his call with the police when he ended the call, searching around only to find one of the men hovering over him which startled the teen before he realized that the man has not seen him yet. As the man turned around and went to search in another direction, the raven haired took this opportunity when he took a broken pipe and slammed it on the man's head, surprising Shinx and Clefairy and knocking him out instantly. Pulling the man's body to a place where the police would notice it, he then ventured silently through the street with the Electric type informing him of which way to go, effectively knocking out some of the men which he used to create a pattern of unconscious men for the police to follow. The moment he sprinted into another alleyway, he came across two women who had noticed him, Pokeballs in their hands ready as they quickly threw, releasing a Stunky and Combusken.

"Well, look what we have here, Ashley. Doesn't he look cute?"

"Yeah, Vanessa. Would be a shame if we hurt him but orders are orders. Sic' him, boys."

The moment she made her statement, both Pokemon came towards Red and his partners before the teen made a silent command to which they nodded, much to the girls' confusion. Before they could recognize what was going on, Shinx then gave both Pokemon a menacing Leer which frightening them before Clefairy charged them with one of its fist turning red as it punched Combusken with a Mega Punch, knocking it into Stunky as they both got slammed into the wall and fell by some trash bins. The girls gasped in surprise until they saw Shinx started to glow as it gathered energy from the air around it.

"Stunky, use Toxic." Vanessa ordered before the Dark-type, spitting out a pool of venomous liquid from its mouth which spread apart, hitting both Shinx and Clefairy and hit Red's arm, much to the teen's frustration as he physically voiced his thoughts. "Seriously? Again with this arm."

When he turned to look at his Pokemon, he saw that Clefairy is unusually alright despite being poisoned, it's body slightly glowing however as he turned his gaze to Shinx, he realized something about the Electric-type that unnerved him as the Pokemon looked more intimidating and feral as it made a cry, making him turn to see Combusken coming towards them, an idea coming to his mind as he quickly made a command. "Clefairy, Copycat."

As he stated that, Clefairy eyes started to glow before it let out the same purple stream that hit the Fire type, causing it to stagger a little until its eyes started to zone in on Clefairy as it arms went back, Red gasped as he noticed the move. 'That's Aerial Ace. Alright, let's try this.'

"Copycat." As he made that one word, Clefairy eyes glowed once again until it copied the attack which resulted in a clash, knocking both Pokemon back to their sides of the alleyway. Noticing that Shinx looks impatient and about to attack everything in sight, Red allowed it to let loose by commanding it to use Spark and telling Clefairy to get out of the way, as the Pokemon let out a battle cry that echoed throughout the alleyway and street, much to Red's fear. 'Oh no.'

Once finished, it ran towards its opponent, enveloped in electricity that nearly filled up the whole alleyway and caused everything metallic to be attracted to the Electric as it goes. It then tackled its foes, resulting in an explosion that knocked them back into the street along with some of the trash cans and knocking over a dumpster. Red stood in surprise before he heard sounds from the other side, going to hide before he came to face to face with the hooded figure who was known when Kim as she tried to stab only for him to dodge, the knife barely grazing his undershirt before he saw Sneasel stealthily came up to him with its claws glowing metallic. Before he could do anything, one of his Pokeball opened, releasing Beedrill who knocked the Dark type to the side before jabbing it twice with Twineedle which caused it to groan in pain as it could barely stand up. Kim clicked her teeth before she once again to stab the raven haired trainer who dodged as he put her hand behind her back, putting her in a lock that caused to drop her knife to which he knocked it under the dumpster. In a feisty struggle, Kim managed to hold out as she knocked him in his stomach causing him to push her away. She then made a couple punches at Red which he dodged before she swept his legs and took him to the floor until she put her arm on his neck, causing it to be hard for the boy to breathe. Flailing and struggling desperately, the teen was rewarded with success as he knocked her to the side before he swapped positions with him being on top, holding her arms and dodging her kicks as he held her in place.

"I'll kill you! Sneasel! Ice Shard, now!" She ordered, only to be rewarded to silence as she saw the Dark type unconscious. She then went for another Pokeball, releasing an Eevee which quickly attacked Red, causing him to accidentally rip the hoodie as he fell backwards. As he regained his senses and looked towards the figure, his eyes widened as he saw the moon shine on a girl with silky smooth silvery blue hair and eyes of the same color as she rubbed her head, realizing that she doesn't have the hood section of her jacket on her.

"What the? My hoodie! Damn you!" She exclaimed as she clenched her fists as her Eevee went beside her, growling at them. She then made a step forward as she glared angrily at Red when she started to speak. "Do you have any idea what you have done? You tore my hoodie. Those things are like our code of conduct."

As she finished, she then started pacing around before her eyes widen in horror, thinking about what would happen if Dread would find out about this. Kim then stopped before she dropped to the floor, punching the ground as she voiced her emotions. "Damn it…I can't do anything right… Not a damn thing…"

Red looked at her in confusion before he heard her continue, saying a sentence that immediately caused him to stop. "Nothing I do…ever makes a difference…"

Hearing that sentence caused the raven haired teen's heart to remind of the pain that he had went through years ago and the thoughts that followed which always end with him reciting that sentence like a mantra. He knew way too well how she feels and although she's making a choice he would never see himself making, it doesn't change the face that he understood. She then started sobbing while Red started to walk over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, being rewarded with her shrugging him off, glaring angrily at him.

"T-this is your fault. If you didn't just resisted, I-I would be able to have Dread on my back l-like this." She said, pointing her finger at the raven haired as he looked at her incredulously before he started to voice his opinion. "You…attacked me and my Pokemon, tried to kill me, made me suffer wounds and took my precious cap…and YOU have the audacity to say that this is my fault. Sorry for retaliating and fending for my life!"

Everyone was surprised at the silent teen's outburst, including Red himself as he cleared his throat and looked around him, seeing that everyone was looking at him with awestruck looks on their face. He then started again as he spoke again. "Look…I understand how you feel…but you don't have to go…through all this. There are literally and I mean literally other ways to go through this. You can go to being a Gym Leader, an Elite Four Member. Heck, trainer battles even come under a cost if you bet and win."

As the teen made his explanation, he was starting to feel uncomfortable before he stopped speaking, being emotionally exhausted from being embarrassed as he looked at Kim who started pouting as she positioned herself to sit down in a more comfortable position before she motioned Red to sit down. As he obliged and sit down, still a bit on guard and alert, she then took out his hat from her hooded pocket and gave it to him as she returned Sneasel into its Pokeball and Eevee jumped into her lap.

"Let's say what you say is true. How do you get these jobs and ways to get money when having strong Pokemon is literally what the world is after? You can't be strong with just any Pokemon." As she said this, Red started snickering before he tried his best not to laugh which caused her to pout even more as she whined. "Hey, I'm being serious here. You think I can go against people who have their Dragonite and Metagross with an Eevee and a Sneasel! That's signing up for failure. People use strong Pokemon to survive. To be strong. All I have are weak Pokemon…but I still love them."

Red thought about what she said, in this day and age, everyone wants the best of the best and almost everyone who is a Champion or of Champion status or level either has a Pokemon that is widely associated as strong like an Infernape or Hydreigon or a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve to reach greater heights. He has never seen an Elite Four or a Champion with just a regular Pikachu or an Eevee winning through the League as they always considered them as weak and too cute for battle. He always wondered why does a Pokémon needs to be big or intimidating to be able to win a battle when he was younger. He always asked Blue, Yellow and even Professor Oak about this but they never gave him an distinct answer that really made him understood the reason for this, stating that they're too weak or they're not cool enough. There was even a test in class which he failed as they asked which Pokemon does he think would be most ideal for a League match and he stated all of them, explaining that every Pokemon has their strengths and weaknesses. He then remembered when he was asked about a question about what kind of Champion he wanted to be and how a Champion is supposed to be as he opened his mouth and recited the same words that he said when he was younger.

"I think it doesn't matter…" He answered which astonished Kim before he continued. "Who cares if it's a strong Pokemon or a weak Pokemon. I feel like that's just someone opinion, their perspective of thinking on what strength is and what it means. There is no issue with going for strong Pokemon or a powerful one. However, if you have a Pokemon that you love the most, don't you want to try your hardest to allow them to win and gain victory, no matter what the cost?"

Kim's eyes widened when she heard the teen said this, thinking deeply on every word that he stated as she looked at Eevee who looked up back to her. She was about to say something but was interrupted as Red dodged an attack before another came towards Kim which the raven haired teen pushed her out of the way as the attack barely missed them. They both looked forward as they saw Dread and his fellow gang members at the corner snickering before his smirk turns to a face of disgust.

"So that's what you were up to, huh Kim? You fucking other dudes now behind my back? Why don't you introduce this lovely gentleman to me, huh?!" Dread asked as he stepped down the alleyway as a huge green Pokemon followed him. As Kim and Red got up and looked at the hulking creature that is now beside the man, Dread laughed before he pat the Pokemon and then started speaking. "Like the guy, his name is Spike. The strongest Tyranitar around. Why don't you say hi, Spike?"

At the moment he said this, the Pokemon roared, its voice shaking the ground as it faced the two teenagers with a menacing smirk on its face. Dread then snapped its fingers which made the Tyranitar opened its mouth as it started to glow. 'That's Flamethrower!'

"It's over. We can't win against a Tyranitar. They are known to be powerful." She said, giving up as she run to the other direction until she heard something then an explosion. When she didn't feel the hot temperatures of the Fire-type move but she heard Dread curse, she turned around to see smoke in Spike's face as Shinx retreated to Red's side of the alleyway which made a question pop in her head. 'What just happened?'

"So you think you can take on a Tyranitar with a Shinx, huh?!" He asked, angered by the fact that his Pokemon's attack has been stopped by a simple first stage Electric-type before he ordered with toxic in his voice. "Well, think again. Earthquake!"

"Clefairy, Copycat that. Beedrill, String Shot and wrap him up and Shinx, charge." Red quickly commanded as Clefairy's eyes started glowing. Lifting its foot, Spike was about to use its move only to lose its balance and movement due to ground being covered by strings of silk, making it unable to lift its limb or move as the Bug type wrapped it up to the point that only its face is showing. Dread commanded the Pokemon to use Flamethrower before it once again got hit by a Spark from Shinx which hit harder than before and caused the Pokemon to be paralyzed before Clefairy hit it with an Earthquake which made the Rock-type lose its balance a bit. Red then commanded all of his Pokemon to attack the Rock-type which after a while resulted in his victory as the Tyranitar dropped to the floor face first, unconscious which made Dread angry. Red celebrated his victory before he heard the loading of guns, seeing Dread and the other pointing their guns at him, ready to fire.

"Hope you like lead, kid." He said before pressing the trigger as he felt nothing seeing him and the others without their guns, much to their confusion. He then saw Sneasel with a pile of broken ammunitions by its side before he was sneak attacked by Beedrill who looked at the rest of his gang members with a menacing look in its eyes. They were about to fight until one word caused all of them to widen their eyes in fear.

"Freeze!"

As this word echoed through the alleyway, all the gang members put their hands in the air as the police came with their Arcanine, Manectric and Stoutland by their sides. It didn't take long until all of the gang members were rallied up, including Dread who was yelling curse words at Red who shrugged it off as he was given first aid by some of the police women.

"You're lucky this wasn't worse, kid." They said as they patched him up, gaining a wince from the wounded teenager. Searching around, he looked from the corner of his eye when he saw Kim sneaking away. She noticed him staring at her, sweating profusely as she thought he would rat her out to the cops. To her surprise, he turned the other way, making it look like he didn't notice her as she smiled and made her way down the alleyway and into the darkness, mouthing a 'thank you' to him which made him smile as a thought cross his mind when he was free to go as he went to the direction of the Pokemon Center. 'Let's just hope that you make the right choice this time, Kim.'

"So you say that you would like to participate for the League challenge, correct? It's gonna take more than that Sneasel and Eevee to win it all. Will you be alright? Also, don't you think Dark types are a bit too evil to be using for a League challenger or a specialist?" The receptionist asks as they started processing the silver haired girl's trainer card.

"Nah! Don't worry. I'll be alright. With enough training, they'll be able to handle the pros. Right guys?" Kim said, getting an agreement from both of them. The receptionist smiled as he almost finished with the card before he asked a question. "Oh! By the way, I forgot to ask. What's your name, young challenger?"

She then smiled widely as she announced her name with confidence on her face.

"Call me Karen. The girl of darkness."

**Hope that you liked this chapter. It came on a whim and this is sorta filler as of the moment. How do you like the gangs so far? Would you believe me that when I first made Karen, I never knew that she was an actual bad guy in the Pokemon Adventures Manga? I was honestly surprised, damn. I was thinking of her when I was making this chapter as some kinda way to introduce her to the story but I never knew she was almost like this in the adventures manga. Welp, who cares? Still putting her in the story the way I want to. What's done is done. Hope you guys will love the chapter and her character regardless and I hope that you will like the story. Also, thanks for your guys time in reading and reviewing the story, I really appreciate it. Enigma out!**


	19. Chapter 18: Fish Frenzy

Red woke up in his bed only to have the morning rays hitting him in the face causing him to squint his eyes as he rolled over and got out of his bed. He then stretched his arms before he got to the bathroom to bathe and proceed to get himself ready. After a few minutes, the raven haired teen dressed himself in his signature red open jacket and blue jeans before he brushed his hair. He then put on his red cap on his head as he fixed his bed and got out of the room then he cracked his knuckles. He then reached by the lobby section of the Pokemon Center, immediately going towards the cafeteria and ordering breakfast. After receiving his order, he and his Pokemon ate breakfast before he saw something from the corner of his eye which caused him to smile as he walked towards it.

"We're calling all talented fishermen and fisherwomen to the Cerulean cape for our very own Fishing tournament. Any age from 10 and over can enter. The tournament will start…" As he looked for the date, his eyes widened as he saw the date as he silently blurted out. "Today?!"

As he said that, he sprinted out of the Pokemon Center and went on his way to Route 5 with his Pokemon following behind him. On the way, he frantically search his bag until he was able to take out an old busted up fishing rod as he traversed past the Nugget Bridge. After a few minutes of running, he finally got to Cerulean Cape when he saw various people there with their fishing rod as they impatiently wait for the start of the tournament. Making his way to the sign up section, the teen then signed himself up before he stood with the rest of the participants, waiting anxiously for the event to start as thoughts crossed his mind. 'I love fishing. It was possibly the only enjoyable thing back at home. Takes me back.'

After a few minutes of waiting in restlessness, a voice echoed throughout the area that made the anxious congregation turned their gaze towards a bearded man on a pedestal as he cleared his throat before continuing. "Greetings fellow members of fishing! Welcome to the one and only Cerulean Cape Fishing tournament. I am your host, Salmon."

As he said this, he got a round of applause from the competitors before silence was once again achieved and he was able to resume.

"All of you will be competing against each other, seeing who will get the best catch for the day. The winner will also be rewarded with a golden Magikarp trophy!" He exclaimed as a burly man behind him raise a golden trophy which has a Magikarp on the top before he descended it on a stand. As they covered the trophy, the two men then walked with it to put it at a safe place before Salmon continued with the announcement.

"As you all have read, whoever gets the best catch today will be able to get that trophy along with $40,000 and a Fisher Guru autographed limited edition Super Rod!" Salmon announced enthusiastically before he moved aside as a model came up and showcased a fancy and sophisticated fishing rod which earned an applause with some of the men hollering and whistling at the woman before she stepped away. As this happened, the females all sighed and face palmed at the men's behaviour.

'That fishing rod looks awesome! It would be cool if I was able to win it however the money…" Red paused as he shifted his gaze to his pockets, seeing that he doesn't have enough money before he sighed and then continued thinking. 'Let's just hope that I'm able to hold out until I beat Misty.'

After he thought to himself, the raven haired teen hears the rules and guidelines of the game along with everyone before they were told to find their fishing spots, everyone getting in position as the announcer started counting down. As he almost reaches zero, Red found a body of water near a house on the cape where he sat down and readied his fishing rod. As the teen sit down and awaited the start of the tournament, he heard snickers all around as he saw that everyone's eyes were on him which confused the young trainer. Before he could ponder as to the reason for their staring and smirking, a man in a red Magikarp cap, dressed in a white shirt and some red baggy pants walked to him, clearing his throat dramatically and loudly as another man stood beside him before he spoke.

"Who knew they brought amateurs to this tournament?" The man said, causing Red to look at him confusingly as Shinx started to growl in anger at the man. As the man laid his eyes on the red capped teen's fishing rod, he roared in laughter along with the man beside him before he started to calm down, explaining to the teen. "Look, kid. If you're trying to make a statement, this is not the place to make it. Everyone here knows that this lake that you're fishing at does not produce any strong and powerful fishes. Plus, that fishing rod is not getting you anywhere, hehehe… it's so busted up!"

The man then again erupted in laughter as some of the contestants joined them while the others shook their heads or acted like they're paying no attention. As this was happening, Red just sighed and paid no attention to them when he petted Shinx's head, calming down the Pokemon until it sat beside him while he readied his fishing rod. Realizing that his taunt is not working, the man clicked his teeth and kicked some dirt on Red before walking away.

"Remember this, kid. I will make you regret participating in this tournament and going against the great Klaus!" The man stated loudly before he walked away which caused Red to roll his eyes as he checked his Pokedex, checking on the areas that some Pokemon are located before smiling. 'If there's one thing I know about nature, it changes even in the most uneventful of places.'

Announcing the start of the tournament, Salmon shot a gun in the air which made everyone started swinging their rods, waiting patiently and some impatiently for the fishes to bite. Minutes passed as some people are able to get bites which resulted in the occasional Magikarp and Goldeen and some getting lucky and encountering Seaking, Slowpoke and Poliwhirl, much to Red's concern before he shrugged it off and continued fishing. After a while, the teen was able to score some Magikarp and Poliwag along with some Psyduck, some of them which he was able to catch, much to Klaus' surprise and jealousy as he realized that the red jacketed trainer is actually doing good.

As the sun goes overhead, signaling noon, Red took a slight break as he ate a granola bar, watching his Pokemon frolic around the cape and enjoying themselves with a smile on his face. His break was interrupted as he felt a tug on his fishing rod, he made a smirk as he held firmly on the rod before trying to reel it in which he instantly realized was more difficult than he thought. As his Pokemon noticed the tug of war that the teen is having with his unknown enemy and went to him, the raven haired struggled until he was able to make a final pull, hauling out a Magikarp which immediately destroyed his excitement as he sighed before he took up the Pokemon and walked over to the pond to put it in the water. As the red capped teen gently returned the Water type and was about to take up his now busted, the water started to bubble up, causing him to look at it in confusion as he stepped, motioning his team to do so when they obliged.

'What the-' Red's thoughts were interrupted when a giant serpent ascended from the waters, creating a shockwave of water that hit the raven haired trainer and his Pokemon, causing them to be soaked from head to toe as they stood awestruck at the beast. It then looked around the area while the teen took out his Pokedex and started to scan the red serpent, the device started to voice its finding to the young trainer.

'Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokemon and the evolved form of Magikarp. They say that during past wars, Gyarados would appear and leave blazing ruins in its wake.'

Once the device has finished stating the Pokemon's description, Red put the device in his bag before he called Shinx to his side as the Water type started to attack, its body glowing until it started spinning to create multiple tornadoes that are breaking trees and vegetation in the area. The teen then noticed the wild Pokemon as they try to escape from the berserk monster which made him went to help them as he escorted them to safety. Witnessing this, everyone ran in panic from Cerulean Cape as Gyarados continued its rampage before it was attacked by a barrage of needles hitting it in the face, getting its attention as it stood face to face with a Nidorina who glared at it with a look of frustration and a slight bit of fear.

"You got its attention, use Bite now!" A female trainer commanded as the Poison type lunged at the Water type as other trainers and their Pokemon joined in the fray to fight the Gyarados.

"Look at that Gyarados. If I can catch it, then I guaranteed win this tournament." Klaus said as he ran towards the red serpent, getting his Pokeballs and Lureballs ready in his pocket while he observed the trainers in the area battling the beast and getting defeated one by one. As Red saved the last of the wild Pokemon, he then turned towards the direction of Gyarados when it defeated another trainer's Pokemon, making a silent command which Shinx nodded to.

"Nidorina!" The trainer yelled as her Poison type got knocked to the ground, creating a crater, running towards it. As she kneeled beside it, she along with everyone witnessed Gyarados opened its mouth, lunging itself towards them which caused some of them to run and the others to be paralyzed in fear. As they closed their eyes and accepted their fate, they were blessed with silence and no attack, opening their eyes to see the red serpent crying in pain as it retreated back before it turned its attention to its new opponent: Shinx. It glared at the Electric type which got it scared before it shook it off after looking at Red who ran behind it, growling at the Water type.

"Charge." Red muttered as the Pokemon started to glow and charge itself as Gyarados started glowing and created a tornado from its mouth before the red capped teen whispered another command as Clefairy leaped forward as it started to glow and create its own vortex, mimicking the attack. As the attacks clashed with each other, the Water type had cried its pain, causing it to get hit by the Fairy Pokemon before it turned around and noticed a Hiker and his Geodude. It was about to attack before it was once again attack, knocked to the side by Shinx's Spark, making it fall onto the ground as Red readied a Pokeball and threw it at the serpent, much to K displeasure as he had to look and see the ball shaking. The ball made one final shake before it erupted, releasing the Gyarados who immediately attacked Shinx, much to the raven haired trainer dismay when he saw the Pokemon being wrapped by the serpent. "Shinx!"

It increased the pressure of its bind, causing the Electric type to scream in agony before Red started to notice something strange about Shinx as his mouth voiced his thoughts. "Is his fangs getting bigger?"

No sooner did he stated this that the Electric type sunk its fangs into Gyarados' scales and bit as hard as it could, making the Water type scream in pain as it tried to continue its bind but ultimately had to let go due to the overwhelming pain. Shinx fell into Red's arm as the teen caressed it, much to the Pokemon's pleasure as it purred.

"Are you ok, Shinx?" The teen asked with a tone of concern, receiving a nod from Shinx as it jumped off his arms and faced the Gyarados, who was a little disturbed by the Electric type as it slightly backed away, a change that Red quickly noticed.

'It's almost as if it's afraid of Shinx…' The trainer thought until his mind clicked as he snapped his fingers. He then walked up to Shinx as he looked at its fangs before he started nodding, like his suspicions were true.

"Shinx, you learned Bite! Awesome!" Red commented which caused Shinx to yelp happily, showing its developed teeth. It then turned back to Gyarados making a battle stance as it awaits its trainer's orders. Red smiled before he mouthed a command. "Alright, Shinx. Let's start off with Bite."

The Electric type nodded before jumped into the air, dodging a swipe from the Water type's tail before once again biting the Pokemon on its scales, which caused it to retreat slightly. The red serpent then roared furiously as it started to savagely thrash around, attacking Shinx. The Electric type was able to dodge in time thanks to Red's quick command, causing Gyarados to hurt itself as it chased it. Noticing its behavior, Red told his partner to keep running as he stated to give directions to it, the serpent following behind. As the Pokemon started to teeter and get dizzy, the teen made a smirk before he lead Shinx into a tree with its pursuer hot on its tail. As the Electric type stopped and waited for Gyarados to come closer, Red then ordered the Electric type to jump on the tree's bark and move out of the way as the serpent collided with it, causing it to recoil in pain.

"Good job, Shinx! Now use Spark!" The raven haired teen commanded, Shinx obeyed as it ran towards the Water type, its body surrounded by lightning. Before the serpent could react, it was tackled by the Electric type which knocked it out of the pond and into a tree as its body started to twitch from the electricity. Red bumped a fist in the air as he threw another ball, a Great ball this time as it absorbed the ball then fell to the ground and moved. As the ball continued to shake, the raven haired teen didn't realize that he held his breath as both him and Shinx stood still, awaiting the results of this attempt of capture. The ball then made a clicking sound as the teen rejoiced with this party before he ran towards the ball. As he was about to pick it up before he was knocked to the side, falling face first as his hat was knocked off his head. The teen then picked his head off the ground to see Klaus taking up the ball and dusted it off.

"I HAVE CAUGHT THE BEAST, THE RED SERPENT KNOWN AS GYARADOS! I HAVE SAVED YOU ALL!" The man announced with a smirk on his face, causing Red's eyes to widen and Shinx to gasp as they both watched the man. The teen's red eyes then glared at Klaus with so much venom that a Muk would be embarrassed as he got up from the ground and walked to the man who was being cheered by the other contestants and the host, his hands clenched into fists and his teeth grinding as he started to growl in anger. 'No way! Not again. Not this again!'

Klaus saw the teen coming towards before he announced in a hurt voice for everyone to hear as he pointed towards the raven haired trainer. "DON'T YOU DARE COME ANY CLOSER?! YOU'RE NOT STEALING THIS CATCH FROM ME, YOU LITTLE THIEF?!"

As he said this, everyone turned towards the direction of the red eyed teen who stopped walking, surprised by what he said. Before the teen could protest and explain, the man cut him off again, exclaiming to the top of his lungs. "IT WAS BAD ENOUGH THAT YOU CAUSED THE GYARADOS TO RAMPAGE ON THE ROUTE AND NEARLY KILL EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE WILD POKEMON BUT NOW, YOU WANT TO HAVE AN EASY TIME WINNING THE TOURNAMENT BY STEALING THE FRUITS OF MY LABOUR?! NOT THIS TIME, KID!"

Baffled was an understatement to what Red was feeling, he stared incredulously at the man, Shinx getting angry as it rushed towards the man before it was stopped by a grey beast that held it up and threw it on the ground, the Electric type lifted itself up when its trainer ran beside it as he picked it up from the floor and he gave Klaus a dangerous glare which unnerved him and struck fear in his heart. The teen was about to speak before he noticed the grey muscular beast walked towards him before it grabbed him along with Shinx as they both struggled out of its grip.

"I didn't…do it… he stole… my catch…" Red stated before he heard Salmon made an announcement. "Young trainer, I have to say that I'm absolutely disappointed in you for what you did, the poor sportsmanship that you showed and the danger that you have put everyone in. I announce that you, participant Fires, will be disqualified!"

The teen looked at the man in shock before he turned to Klaus who looked at the teen with a victorious smirk on his face. As he glared at the man, the young trainer heard Salmon snapped his fingers, stating a command. "Machoke, throw them out."

Red was then thrown into the sky by Machoke, descending into the dirt near Cerulean City, harshly hurting his back and nearly dislocated his arm. The teen then picked himself up along with Shinx as he dusted himself, holding his aching head before he realized something. "Where's my bag and hat?"

His red orbs widened when he remembered that his bag and hat was still at the Cape, running back to only to see a bunch of Machoke blocking the way, much to his frustration as he clicked his teeth and walked back. When the sun went down and the tournament was finished with Klaus being announced as the winner, everyone was going to their separate ways as they spoke about their catches and their experience at the tournament. After everyone was gone, Red returned back to Cerulean Cape, looking for his bag and his cap and jacket to find them in the grass, he picked them up to find them stepped on and ripped and torn in slight places which saddened the young trainer when he put on his jacket and cap. He then opened his bag to see his emergency stash of money stolen along with his Pokefood and Potions which angered the young teen. 'Great! No money or food and the entire forest and Berries are destroyed thanks to the Gyarados! Wonderful!'

The teen then calmed down and sighed as he turned his gaze towards the Pokemon Center.

'I won't be able to pay for a night there. Just gotta hold out until I battle Misty tomorrow.' Red thought as he observed the area, informing Shinx and the rest of his team about their predicament as they were able to find some Berries that could hold them for the night. Realizing that the food found could not feed everyone, the teen shared most of his food to serve his team, enduring his hunger and lying to them that he had food for himself as he happily watched the Pokemon eat their meals. The teen then looked into the sky, pondering about the day's events as a thought warped into his mind. 'I wonder how Leaf's doing. She did say she was meeting her friend here. Wonder if she got the second badge yet. Wonder how Blue and Yellow are doing? Knowing Blue and how impatient he is, he should be at the third or fourth gym by now.'

Red snickered as he thought about an impatient Blue dragging an exhausted Yellow on his back, going from gym to gym before his face hardened. 'Hope they're alright.'

He was then snapped out of his thoughts as he felt something licking his hand, turning to see Shinx as it pushed its bowl towards the young trainer, still having some Berries in it. Red looked at the bowl before he started to guess what's happening.

"You don't want anymore." He asked as the Pokemon nodded before it pushed the bowl to him, allowing Red to understand what's going on as he pointed to himself.

"You're giving the Berry to me?" The raven haired teen asked, causing Shinx to nod as it yelped happily, resulting in the other Pokemon seeing what it's doing and they started to share some of their food with their trainer, much to the young trainer's surprise as he thanked them. Minutes have passed as they all prepared themselves to sleep. Red looked at his Pokemon smiling before Clefairy and Shinx tucked in his sleeping bag, snoring quietly as the teen simply gazed at the night sky and see stars within the night sky which calmed his anger and frustration from the day.

"I can never get angry when I look at the stars in the sky. It always soothe my nerves." Red commented as a feeling of euphoria came over him, letting him close his eyes and drift off as he awaited in his unconscious state for the next day.

**Whew, this chapter was just purely filler and I think this is my shortest chapter yet. I needed this chapter as I had to find some breather between the big events and to think out the next event and this is sort of preparation for the next event. How do you like the way a Pokemon learns moves such as Bite, you know, how their body started to grow and develop physically to the point that they are able to utilize these moves. I hope you do. Also, I didn't expect to feel so much hatred for a character I have created than I did with Klaus. Damn. I might need to chill out with the douchebags. Glad that you guys are enjoying the story so far, thanks for your time in reading this and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter. I'll see you guys later. Also, remember to wash your hands, keep a good hygiene and stay safe. Enigma out!**


	20. Chapter 19: Enter Bill

Noises resonate through the air causing Red to wake up as he quickly look around in shock, seeing a huge crowd of people gathering by the Nugget Bridge and cheering on for some event. As he stood up and tried as best as he could to get ready, he walked over to the group to see a competition of sorts. He then witness a battle between a Rattata and a Mankey. The battle came to an end as the Mankey lands a swift Low Kick at the purple rodent, knocking it feet and making it fall to the ground before slamming it on the head with a Karate Chop. The crowd rejoice as the trainer of the Mankey, who is a camper with spiky black hair, returned his Pokeball as he stated to the challenger who is a youngster with a Marill hat on. "Hey, kid. You did great. Next time you might actually win the challenge."

After he stated this, the youngster returns his Pokemon as he nodded, slumped but happy as he ran towards the direction of Cerulean City. The camper then walked in front of four trainers, announcing to the crowd with a smirk on his face. "Is there anyone in this crowd that take on the Nugget Bridge challenge? If you do, you will be rewarded with a surprise!"

"So who's willing to try?"

Surprised and interested by the challenge, Red failed to notice Shinx going through the crowd as it appeared in front of the camper, getting into a battle stance while the challengers look at it with confused expressions.

"Wow, I guess this is the first time that a wild Pokemon would like to try out the challenge." The camper joked, earning some laughs from the crowd.

This snapped Red out of his thoughts as he went through the congregation towards Shinx and the challengers before he glared at the Pokemon, the Electric type looking back at him with an innocent look on his face. The raven haired teen sighs before he then turn his gaze towards the five trainers, wanting to take on the Nugget bridge challenge, much to the five trainers' delight when the camper starts to explain the rules. "Awesome so we got a volunteer. So the rules are simple, you have to fight all five of us without rest and if you beat all five of us consecutively, you win a prize. Easy as that!"

Understanding the rules, Red nodded before the camper steps back and the first trainer approach the teen, with a smirk on his face when he locked eyes with the red capped adolescent. As both trainers get to their side of the battlefield, they then readied their Pokeballs as they both threw their Pokemon, revealing a Clefairy and a Caterpie who both glanced at each other, awaiting their trainers' commands.

"Caterpie, Bug Bite now!" The Bug catcher ordered quickly, his impatient getting the best of him as the Bug-type obeyed, leaping towards the Fairy type, much to the crowd's amusement as they started cheering for their respective trainers. As it got close, Red mutter a command as a smile starts to appear on his face. "Dodge, Clefairy."

Clefairy moved out of Caterpie's way as the bug catcher mouthed another command for the Bug type to continue attacking which it did as its pink adversary dodged its attacks. The green caterpillar then got tired after various failed attempts, allowing Clefairy to lunge towards it before the pink fairy heard a command from Red.

"Mega Punch now." The red capped trainer ordered, causing his Pokemon to wind back its fist as it started glowing before it hit the Bug type, sending it flying past its trainer and skidding through the grass, knocked unconscious. As the minutes went by, the fights ensued, resulting in Red's victory as he continued on his path to beating the challenge, defeating trainer after trainer. It then came the time that he fought the last trainer which is the camper as they both stand at their respective positions before they start their battle. They both released their Pokemon, Red releasing his Beedrill and the camper releasing his Mankey. The battle did not take long as Beedrill proved to be a lot stronger than Red initially thought, the battle ended as he commanded Beedrill to use its newest move: Pursuit which easily knocked out the Fighting type, much to the camper and everyone's surprise.

The challenge ended, resulting in Red getting some money from the trainers along with a Nugget and a weird card from a man, much to the trainer's delight. He tossed and caught the golden item before putting it in his bag, a thought coming across his head. 'I wonder how much would this Nugget cost at a store. When I get to Cerulean, I can find out.'

As he finished his thought and looked out, noticing a cottage by the Cerulean Cape, causing the teen to stop in his tracks as he rubbed his eyes and look again, thinking he was seeing illusions. Out of interest and curiosity, the raven haired trainer made his way to the cape, battling several trainers along the way before he stopped in front of the house, completely baffled as he scratched his head.

"I never saw this house before when I was here for the tournament, was it hidden or something?" Red thought aloud as he made his way to the door of the house, touching and knocking to see if it was real. To his surprise, it is when the door slightly slide open and the teen enters the house, barely able to see as the room being concealed in darkness. Walking into the dark place, Red suddenly feel a presence, instantly realizing that he is not the only one in the room which caused him to look around, rewarded with pitch black shadows despite the slight amount of light coming from his red eyes. Realizing that his eyes was literally giving some light, he sighed before he shook his head. 'Dad was right, my eyes are like mini flashlights.'

As the teen wandered around the room, he notices something at the corner of the room, looking at him with an intense stare. The teen's eyes widened along with a chill running up his spine as he realizes the creature, stepping back and pulling out one of his Pokeballs, quickly releasing Shinx. The Electric type started roaring as its body glowed, revealing a purple spiky monster at the corner which the teen instantly recognizes.

'Nidorino!'

Seeing the Pokemon, Red was frightened when he commanded his partner to attack the Poison type before it stood on its hind legs, waving its hands and spoke. "Wait! Please stop! Don't hurt me!"

As the Nidorino spoke, both Shinx and Red froze in their tracks, confused and awestruck at what had occurred before them causing the room to be filled with silence. The Poison type then descended on its four legs and walk towards a section in the room, pressing on a switch on the wall which illuminated all the lights in the room.

"D-did it just spoke?" Red thought aloud as he could only see Shinx awestruck nod as they both once again witness Nidorino going up on its hind legs and speaking once again. "Thanks for listening to me. You are one of the first people to come up here and not run away in weeks and I've been trying my best but you know, seeing a Nidorino and attacking it immediately is the first thing that comes to a trainer's mind."

The teen and his Pokemon just slowly nodded as the Poison type continued its speech.

"If you don't mind, could you do a little favor for me please?" The Pokemon asked, causing Red to be knocked out of his stupor as he saw it motioned for him to come forward, skeptically following the purple beast as it leads them to a computer.

"My name is Bill. I was doing some experimentation on how to understand Pokemon and something went wrong with my mind teleporter machine and now I'm a Pokemon. I'm unable to get the machine to work correctly because…I'm a Pokemon. What I would like you to do is to press the Enter key on the computer once I go into the teleporter pod and I'll be able to go back into my human body." The Nidorino explained before it went inside the pod, making a thumbs up as it waited for Red to press the button. As the teen pressed the button, both he and his Pokemon watch as the pods lit up, the raven haired teen picked up Shinx and started retreating as the pod explodes into a puff of smoke that envelop the room. Coughing and looking through the smog for any silhouettes, it only took for the smoke to slightly clear as Red saw a man with brown hair and eyes wearing a purple collared shirt and khaki pants walking up to them, waving his hand.

"Thanks a lot! You do not want to know how annoying it was to be in that body. I was stuck unable to phone my folks for weeks. They must be worried sick-" Bill was interrupted by a crash caught everyone's attention, turning their gaze to see a Nidorino who immediately charges and attack the group. Before it could make contact with the pokemaniac, it was knocked to the side by Shinx. Enraged, it then started to stand and inhale before shooting poisonous needles throughout the room, causing everyone to take cover from the attack. As it stopped and took a moment to breathe and recover, Red got out of the hiding and move around to get its attention before he muttered a command his Electric type partner. "Shinx, use Spark now."

Before Nidorino had a chance to react, it was sent back once again causing it to hit the wall before the teen stated another order. "Great! Now Leer."

Once the Poison type got out of the wall, it then came face to face with Shinx's menacing glare which frightened it before started to lower its head to avoid it gaze and started running towards the Electric type. Due to Red's quick command and thinking, he was able to tell his partner to move out of the way which caused the poison pin Pokemon to crash into a wall, much to Bill's dismay as he runs to another hiding spot. Stuck in the wall due to its attack, the Poison type pulled itself from the wall and inhaled, causing the teen realizing the attack when he quickly pulled out his slingshot. "Oh no you don't."

Before it could attack, it was stopped as it received a hit to the head, seeing a stone fall on the ground. Once it looked at Red, it received another stone while it charged the young trainer, the teen leading it along the room until he got to the door, moving outside as the Poison type and Shinx followed him. When the fight was brought outside, the young trainer dodged the attack before he muttered a command which caused Shinx to rush the Nidorino with a Spark, knocking it into the water. At the moment Bill got outside, scared if the Pokemon is near the doorway. They all watch as the water in the pond bubbling up in the water.

'What's going on? Oh no is it evolv-" Red was stopped as he saw the Poison type flew out of the water, landing on the floor as it started to pant. When it was about to get up, something else jumped out of the water, surprising everyone as the thing graciously descended and tackled the Poison type. The battle ensues, the raven haired trainer took out his Pokedex, gaining Bill's attention as he let the device scan the creature before it started processing and was rewarded with nothing as a screen popped up saying 'No Data found', much to the teen's frustration. The crimson eyed trainer sighed as the thing shot a stream of purple flames which knocked Nidorino past a tree and into the grass. As the Poison type got up, it then scurried away into the wild with a slight look of fear on its face. Red then turned his gaze to the Pokemon that emerged from the Water, a purple fish with darker spots on it as it flopped into the water. Noticing the individuals in the area, it glared at the young trainer before both of them saw Bill walking towards them.

"Thanks again, man. I thought I was a goner." The brown haired man thanked the teen before he turned his gaze at the Pokemon in the water before continuing. "That Pokemon is a shiny Feebas. I'm surprised that there is one in this pond, they're usually hard to find and mostly native to the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions."

The Pokemon, known as Feebas then hopped out of the water as it released purple flames out of its mouth at Red, much to everyone's surprise before the teen evaded the attack and Shinx leaped forward and tackled the Water type. It went back into the water before it arose again, its body glowing as the water in the lake starts to rise, forming a ball of water which it then shoots at Shinx as rings of water trails behind it.

"It knows Water Pulse and Dragon Breath?!" Bill commented incredulously as the ball then collided with Shinx, causing it to feel slightly disorientated as it shook its head and looked at its opponent.

"Bite now." Red muttered as the Electric type nodded, sprinting towards the Pokemon, baring its fangs. Feebas who swiftly evaded the attack. The Electric type then went into a burst of speed which made its opponent barely able to react when it bit the Water type before slamming it down on the grass, causing it to flop around before it retaliated by quickly flopping and collided into the Electric type, causing both of them to fall into the pond.

"Oh no." Red thought aloud as he witnessed the fight. Noticing the situation and quickly thinking, the teen run to the pond and then yell at the top of his lungs for his partner to use Spark. After a moment of silence, the pond started to glow before it erupted with electricity and light, causing Red and Bill to shield their eyes until the light faded. As they were able to regain their sight, they both witness Shinx coming out of the water, spitting out Feebas out of its mouth before it descend to the ground, panting heavily. The crimson eyed teen picked up the Electric type, hugging it as he quietly stated. "I'm glad that you're alright and safe, buddy. Nice work."

They stopped celebrating as they saw Feebas barely flopping as it struggled to move. Feeling bad for the Water-type, Red took out a Pokeball, ready to throw the ball until the Pokemon started to glow, shooting another Water Pulse as it knocked out a bunch of different types of Pokeball from the teen's bag. The purple fish then tried with all its might to flop to a Great Ball as it slapped the button on the capsule, causing it to open and absorb the Pokemon into the device. Everyone watched the ball shake before it clicked, much to the teen's confusion before he started gathering the items that spilled out of his bag until he took up the ball, looking at it as he scratched his head and turned to Shinx. "Guess we got a new member of the team, huh?"

_'__I need to be in this because you will soon know how great I am. I have an eye for people so don't make me regret choosing you.' _A voice stated in Red's mind, causing the teen look around, his partner looking at him with a brow raised. Bill applauded the young trainer, getting his attention as he went up to the trainer and eyed the device before he made his comment. "That was a nice battle, man. Plus, you got a Feebas, and a shiny one no less. Feebas are not easy to come by here in Kanto so I hope that you will take good care of it. Also, I have a present here for you saving me…"

The brown haired man searched his pockets, his expression changing to one of worry when he went inside his house and inspected the place, volunteering for the teenager to sit down and enjoy some food as he turned the house upside down before he finally found the item. When he descended down the stairs, he sighed in exhaustion before he saw Red and Shinx looking through his files and pictures which caused him to smile as he walked over to the teen and his partner. "That was me back when I was still a trainer. I don't think I was much older than you when this happened."

As the raven haired teen turned to him, the man looked at the screen seeing three birds, each surrounded by their respective elements and causing weather changes due to it before he closed his eyes and reminisce, continuing. "The Kanto's Legends… The three Legendary Birds. Pokemon powerful enough to literally create storms and change weather patterns by their presence alone. Powerful forces of nature that can barely be controlled."

The man paused, seeing the look of curiosity and anticipation on Red's face before he then went over to the pictures as he pointed on each, resuming.

"Their names are Zapdos, the bird of Lightning. Moltres, the bird of flames. And Articuno, the bird of ice." The man stated as he identified each Pokemon.

Seeing the look of awe on the teenager's face, he felt a bit of pride as he sat down and explained some of his discoveries with the teen, showing pictures and videos, much to Red's curiosity and interest. As they finished their conversation, Bill gave the young trainer a ticket which the teen's eyes widened as he read the words on the piece of paper before looking at Bill. 'Isn't this an SS. Anne ticket? These can only be attended by rich people and superstars. Why…'

"You can take it. Those fancy parties aren't really my thing. The only reason I even go to those events is usually because of my wife." The man said, waving his hands in the air before continuing. "Take that as my thanks for your help. You deserved it. If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead meat."

Red then looked at the ticket again before thanking the brown haired man who laughed it off. As minutes of conversation passed by, they say their goodbyes as the teen made his way back to Cerulean City with Shinx and a new member on their team on their conscience. As the teenager made his way to the Nugget Bridge, the Electric type went to his belt, releasing Clefairy as they both leaped off the teen and went ahead towards the route to play, much to their trainer's surprise when he ran after them. As they happily played, going across the bridge and almost a couple footsteps away from the city, Red caught them in one fell swoop.

"C'mon guys. Enough playing for now. Let's stop by the Pokemon Center. We can play then along with Beedrill and Feebas, sounds good?" Red stated as the Pokemon nodded in agreement before they nuzzled their cheeks against the trainer, tickling him as they all laughed. When he got up and looked forward, his eyes widened as it took all of his might to not lose grip of the two Pokemon he was holding from the immediate guilt that erupted in his stomach which nearly made him vomit. The person in front of him gasped, stepping back before they glared at him. His scarlet eyes meet their dark greenish yellow eyes as the person uttered one word with their voice shrouded in shock.

"R-red…?"

'Y-yellow…' The teen thought, his body literally starting to shake and sweat profusely.

'Oh no. Please no. Not this again.' Red thought as he shook his head and stepped back before the blonde yelled with hatred coated in her voice. "Don't you dare run away!"

Red was not able to do anything when he saw a bolt of electricity hit the place that he was going to, causing him to not stray from one spot before he looked at the person who was once his friend as she had a Pikachu beside her, its cheeks flaring with electricity which caused the teen to be hit with another wave of guilt as he saw the Pokemon. As the memories from previous events started to flood his mind like a mental tsunami, his eyes immediately started to water while his mind unable to process anything. He was barely able to be knocked out of his guilt trip, hearing the few words that came out of the blonde's mouth as she held out a Pokeball towards him.

"I don't know how you escaped jail but I'm putting you back in." Yellow said with venom in her tone as she glared viciously at the red capped teen who could only stand frozen before both Shinx and Clefairy leaped out of his arms as they prepared for battle. "Now that I think about it, I wanna know how strong I am. Let's see if you can win a battle with me. You might get the chance to escape, you damn demon."

"I won't let you escape again. You will pay for your crimes." Those were the last words she stated before Red blanked out.

'Why…?' That was the last word he thought before he was suddenly attacked by another electrical shock, forcing him to a battlefield as he prepares for his match for the future.

**This was a point in the story that everything was different than it initially was supposed to be and I can only inform you guys about this as the chapters goes by. This chapter, for example, a lot of things were changed from what was the initial story. One was Bill, it was actually supposed to be both Red and Leaf that was supposed to meet him and not Red alone in the initial story. Also, there were not supposed to be a fishing competition and the Nugget Bridge in the rough draft, it was supposed to be tossed aside and the story continues. However, I decided to put it in, these characters going to be important later on. Also, hope you guys like Red getting a Shiny Milotic in the future which is literally Gyarados' opposite from the previous chapter. Also, also hope that you guys enjoy the chapter and the story so far and thanks for taking out your time to check it out and please be safe. Next chapter is coming pretty soon. Enigma out!**


	21. Chapter 20: Red vs Yellow

Silence filled the air when the wind blew lightly, the trees swaying with it as all wildlife stood as silent spectators towards the upcoming battle. The tension between the two teens was so thick that not even a Scyther or a Bisharp would not be enough to cut it. On one side was Red, who was trembling in guilt and terror as he looked towards his opponent, who was giving him a glare so menacing that if she had powers, he would be obliterated at this point. After a few moments, the teens resumed their silent stare down before Yellow gritted her teeth as she announced. "Chuchu! Let's go!"

Her Pikachu then leaped towards the field as its cheek started to glow with electricity causing Red to feel more uncomfortable as he eyed the Electric-type before he heard the blonde stated. "This will be a 3 on 3 battle, substitutions can be made. The battle is over once all three Pokemon from one's side is defeated and unable to continue."

Hearing this, Red slowly nodded which Yellow failed to notice as she got angrier before she yelled at him. "YOU GOT THAT?!"

"Y-yes." The scarlet eyed teen whimpered as he tried his best to stop himself from shaking, using the previous experiences with Team Rocket and his gym battle with Brock as encouragement which came to naught as he continued to tremble and his thoughts became incoherent. He then slowly descends to his knees, feeling nausea as he could only look at the ground, anticipating the vomit that might happen. After he closed his eyes, Red felt something nuzzling him when he open his eyes to see Shinx licking away his tears and Clefairy patting him on the head which caused him to hug both of them as he silently uttered. "…thanks you guys… I'm so sorry that you have to be with a trainer like me…"

_'__It's all right. We're here for you. You helped us. We'll help you.'_

_'__Remember that you have us with you all the way, boss.'_

Confused, Red started to look around before he looked at his Pokemon, a smile on his face when he started to stand up again. Feeling determined, he wipe away his tears before he looked forward towards his opponent although he was still slightly shivering. 'C'mon. Red. You can do this. Just breathe in and out.'

As the red jacketed trainer finished his breathing routine, he then hardened his expression before he called out Clefairy who immediately went on the field, slamming its fist into its palm before it started shadow boxing, earning a small laugh from its trainer. Witnessing this caused a scowl to appear on Yellow's face as she yelled an order. "Chuchu! Use Quick Attack."

Chuchu cried before it disappeared, tackling Clefairy which made it slide back a few distance before Red quickly made a command. "Clefairy, Mega Punch!"

The Fairy type clenched its fist as it sends a full force punch only for the Electric type to quickly maneuver dodge the move, thanks to Yellow's clever directions. "Nice job, Chuchu!"

As it retreated to its side of its field, Red immediately took action as he stated for Clefairy to use Copycat allowing it to move so fast that Chuchu was barely able to react as everything went in slow motion in the pink creature's eyes when it knocked the rodent back, much to Yellow's surprise. Before both the blonde and her rodent could prepare a counter, the raven haired teenager quickly stated a command and not losing his momentum. "Copycat again and then Mega Punch."

Clefairy immediately disappeared again before it then punched the rodent in the face hard which threw the rodent back, barely able to stop itself from the force of the punch as it drove its feet into the ground. After it shook itself and made a cry of determination, the blonde trainer made a command that immediately made Red's eyes widened as he quickly planned a rebuttal. "Chuchu, now Thunder Wave."

As she made the order, the yellow rodent's cheeks started to glow as it let out a blast of electricity that immediately hit Clefairy, quickly disappearing as it descended on its knees, lightning coming from its body which made it twitch slightly. Red then glares at his blonde opponent before he witnesses Clefairy glowing as it stand up, seemingly unfazed causing both teens to be confused.

"What the?" Yellow muttered before she barely heard the silent command that the crimson eyed teen gave the Fairy type as it ran towards her Pikachu as it started to charge its kick. She then commands the rodent to dodge the move, it able to nimbly dodge it mostly due to Clefairy's paralysis condition before she continues. "Now Electro Ball."

"Copycat." When the Electric type creates a ball of electricity with its tail before shooting the ball at the pink fairy, its hands start brimming with lightning as it claps them together and parts them, creating its own sphere and launches it causing both attacks to clash with each other. As the collision continued, Yellow made a command to her Pikachu that her red jacketed trainer could barely notice as he muttered for Clefairy to use Copycat, which did not amount to nothing as it started plotting with a menacing look on its face before stopping, looking around with a confused expression. As the attacks dispersed, the blonde commanded her Pokemon to use Thundershock which upon using the move, looked more like a Thunder Bolt as it hit the pink fairy, much to Red's surprise. 'What the- Didn't she say Thunder shock? Is it learning a new move?'

Both teens watched as Clefairy rose from the ground, a look of determination etched on its face as it eyed its opponent, much to its trainer's relief. The raven haired trainer had an idea as he utters an order to his Pokemon. "Stored Power."

Upon hearing the move, Yellow raises a brow before she then sees the pink fairy glowing intensely, not doing anything as it made eye contact with its trainer. Alert and ready to counter, the blonde waited for the attack which did not do anything, much to her confusion. After almost a minute has passed, she lost her patience, making her Pikachu attack use Quick Attack. As Chuchu appeared in front of Clefairy, the pink Pokemon let out a wave of light energy, knocking away its opponent. "No, Chuchu!"

"Alright! Thundershock!" As it gained its balance, it obeyed Yellow's command only to be stopped as its opponent once again use Store Power to cancel out its attack.

"Mega Kick now." Red commanded as Clefairy jumped in the air and descends to Pikachu with it foot glowing before the blonde made a command which made the trainer click his tongue in irritation. "Electro Ball!"

Before the pink fairy could react, it was immediately hit by a ball of lightning, causing it to fall unto the ground, barely able to move.

"Good. Now Quick Attack, Chuchu." The yellow rodent speedily lunges forward before appearing in front of Clefairy. As it was about to tackle it, it was caught off guard the Pokemon vanished, appearing above it before it landed a Mega Kick at the blonde's Pikachu, creating a cloud of dust. As both wait for the dust cloud to disperse, both made one final command to their Pokemon.

"Thunder Shock/Stored Power!"

Both combatants obeyed as they charge their respective moves, releasing them which resulted in a clash. The field was then covered by electricity as the attacks from both Pokemon created a huge shockwave as everyone shielded their eyes. As they both able to open their eyes, they witness their partners standing up in determination before they fall to the ground, resulting in a tie. Seeing the conclusion of the first match, both trainers run to pick up their Pokemon from the field, encouraging them of a job well done before they returned them.

As both trainers return to their respective sides of the battlefield, Shinx lunges forward, its body starts to let off some electricity to show its determination. Seeing the Electric type on the field, Yellow smirked as she took out a Pokeball from her bag and then threw it into the air.

"Go Ivysaur!" She called out when the light from the spherical capsule revealed a Pokemon that looks like a bigger version of Bulbusaur as it made its battle cry before it gazed at Shinx. Seeing the Grass type, Red took out his Pokedex as he made it scanned it which after a couple of seconds, the device started to voice its description.

_'__Ivysaur, the Seed Pokemon. __The bulb on its back grows as it absorbs nutrients. The bulb gives off a pleasant aroma when it blooms.'_

As the device finished its explanation, the scarlet eyed teen approached and then kneeled down beside Shinx before he petted it, saying. "Hey Shinx. I understand that you want to battle but not this one. Let's leave this to Beedrill."

Despite being disappointed, the Electric type nodded as it went to back beside the red capped trainer before he released Beedrill who immediately turned around and hugged him which encourage a laugh from him. Being able to calm down the Bug type and getting it ready for battle, Red notices that Yellow was about to return Ivysaur before he mutters one word. "Pursuit."

Before she could react, the yellow bee vanished before appearing in front of the Grass type in the blink of a second. Both Pokemon and trainer witness Beedrill glowing with dark energy before it slams its stingers into Ivysaur, knocking it out of the field and into a tree. The blonde quickly returns the Pokemon, not wanting her starter to be hit by another unsuspecting attack.

'Darn it! I know Red is good at understanding Pokemon behavior and their Pokedex description and using it to his advantage but he was never this good at utilizing Pokemon moves before. What happened? He changed this much in just a few weeks.' The blonde thought before she threw out a Great Ball which revealed a flaming horse. The Pokemon made a battle cry as it gazed at its opponent, causing Shinx to leap out onto the field as it talked with Beedrill, the Bug type nodded before it flew to its trainer's side as the Electric type eyed its foe as it made its battle stance. Red once again took out his Pokedex as the device scanned the Fire type before it made its explanation.

_'__Ponyta, the Fire Horse. __Training by jumping over grass that grows longer every day has made it a world-class jumper.'_

As the explanation was finished, the red capped trainer put the device in his pocket as he looked at the Pokemon, thinking of a way to defeat it. 'Those hooves are gonna be a problem. I better play my cards well and try to avoid them as possible.'

As the winds went by which caused some form of silence and tranquility to the battle between the teens, moments passed before Red uttered the first move. "Shinx, let's start with Tackle."

"Stomp, Ponyta." Yellow quickly commanded. As Shinx got close to the Fire type, it started to lift it legs before slamming down its feet as the Electric type who is trying its best to avoid the attacks.

"Bite now." As Ponyta let down another Stomp at the Pokemon, the blue and black cub then leaps towards the foot as it bit on the leg, causing the Fire type to recoil in pain as it started to run around to shake off it before it heard its trainer's command. "Use Flame Charge."

The Fire type then surrounded itself in flames, making Shinx have to let go before it got tackled by the horse who immediately got faster as the fire dispersed from it. Not losing momentum, the blonde made another command, much to her opponents' frustration. "Good. Now use Ember."

"Charge." Red quietly commanded as Shinx started to absorb electricity while Ponyta shot a flurry of fireballs which the Electric type nimbly dodge before it was commanded to use Spark as it used to now empowered move, hitting its fiery opponent. As the Fire type recovered from the attack, Yellow sighed in relief at its recovery before she made a command. "Double Kick."

Before Shinx could react, its opponent turned around before it launched its hind legs, kicking the Electric type onto the ground. Despite taking the full direct force of the move, it quickly recovered, dodging a Stomp from its adversary as Red ordered it to run around and Tackle the Fire type from the side to which it did, much to the blonde's horror. "C'mon, Ponyta! We have 'em where we want 'em. Ember!"

The raven haired teenager clicks his teeth when Shinx gets scorched from to the attack. The Pokemon was sent flying to its side of the field, barely able to get up, its body more exhausted than it is supposed to be as smoke emitted from its body. Before a command was stated, the Electric type started to light ablaze before it disappeared, causing the Pokemon to drop on the floor before it slowly ascends on its feet again. As it did so, Shinx roared before a crimson aura surrounded it along with its fur started to spike up and it started growling ferociously and glaring menacingly at its opponent, much to the teenagers' confusion.

"What's going on? It looks like it's about to rip Ponyta apart… Is that its Guts ability?" Yellow uttered, a bit scared by the development of the battle which did not go unnoticed when her opponent heard her, his mind reminiscing on her words. 'Guts ability, huh?'

'I gotta finish this quick either way before Red notices what's going on.' The blonde thought as she commanded for her Ponyta to use Stomp which it obeyed, sprinting towards the Electric type it raised its legs. Before it could do anything, Shinx leaped forward and let down its fangs on the Fire type who recoiled in pain and shook it off before retreating to its side of the field, much to Yellow's dismay.

"Dang it. Ponyta, Use Flame Charge." She commanded. Seeing no movement from her Pokemon, the blonde was confused until she saw the look of dread on its face as it trembled uncontrollably. Before she could say anything, Red took his chance and uttered a command. "Spark."

Shinx roared before it started to run, electricity coursing through its body as it quickly got enveloped by lightning. As the Electric type continued to run, Red then realized that the move was getting stronger, becoming bigger in mass the closer it got to Ponyta. About to pull out her Pokeball and return her partner, Yellow was too late as she witnessed her Pokemon getting hit by the move, knocking it back in front of her as it laid unconscious which signaled Shinx's victory.

Yellow could only frown as she returned her Ponyta, stating that it did a great job despite the loss before she went and called out her starter, Ivysaur. Red went on the field towards Shinx as he applied some medicine to its burn before he took up the Electric type and cradled it back to his side of the field as he put it in his bag and look beside him at Beedrill who nodded then went to the field, ready for battle.

"Beedrill, Poison Sting." The red capped teen started the third match, his Pokemon nodded as it flew towards Ivysaur. As the Bug type got close, Yellow made a smirk as she stated an order. "Seed Bomb now!"

"Use your stingers to knock away the incoming seeds." Red quickly alerted. Beedrill went on its guard as it started to swat and jab the incoming seeds, not able to get them all as some hit the yellow bee, much to the blonde's agitation as she thought. 'Man, there's one thing I gotta say: he's definitely gotten better than last time. Way better.'

"Poison Sting now." As the barrage of seeds stopped, the Bug type lunges forward as it was able to secure a hit on the Grass type, knocking it back. Yellow commanded her starter to do another Seed Bomb which resulted in the same scenario as the Bug and Poison type deflected the seeds once again, not realizing that the blonde had a plan as she uttered one word. "Growth."

The Pokemon started too glow in a bright green light as its opponent continues to dodge and block the projectile before the yellow bee was finished, flying quickly towards the Grass type before it jabbed it, knocking it back from its initial position. After it finished glowing, Yellow commanded it to use another Seed Bomb, causing Beedrill to dodge and block them again, this time finding more difficulty in doing so more than last time. Despite the move being stronger, the Bug type was still able to outmaneuver every seed as Red commanded it to go forward and hit it with a Twineedle, which seemed to have been a critical hit as it knocked it further back than the first time, much to Yellow's dismay.

"C'mon, Ivysaur. Get up and use Tackle." The blonde ordered, her starter getting up from the ground and shake its head, charging forward at Beedrill who braces itself for the attack as it got a command from its scarlet eyed trainer. "Wait and then Poison Sting when it's close."

As the Grass type got closer, the Bug type thrust its pincer forward, resulting in a clash that was quickly over as Ivysaur overpowered it before colliding into it and knocking it to the ground. As it was struggling to ascend from the ground, Yellow took this chance as she made a command to Ivysaur which made Red worried. "Leech Seed now while it's down."

"Dodge then Pursuit." The raven haired teen thought quickly before his Pokemon took to the air, dodging the Leech Seed and was able to successfully land a strike onto the Ivysaur's side, making it fall to the ground before it was given another command by its silent trainer. "String Shot now."

"Get up, Ivysaur and dodge." As the order was given, Yellow could only watch as Beedrill spew stings of silk as it trapped and entangled its foe into the strings before the Grass and Poison type was unable to move. The blonde made an effort and commanded attacks to her starter out of desperation however it was for not naught as it was immobile and Red's Pokemon ruthlessly and relentlessly attack Ivysaur until it collapsed within the wraps of the String Shot, much to her dismay.

"N-n…no. I can't believe this. I-I lost…" Yellow muttered as she fell to the ground on her knees with a hopeless look on her face as she looked at her starter. Red commanded Beedrill to free the Grass type before he returned his Pokemon and made his way to the starter. 'I know they don't care about me anymore but that does not mean I don't care about them.'

Unable to process anything in her mind, the blonde was unable to realize that the raven haired trainer had applied medication and healed her Ivysaur before he went over to her and held our his hand to help her up. After a few moments, Yellow was knocked out of her stupor as she saw her starter beside her, hugging her as tears started to swell up in its eyes. 'I thought I could help…do something for myself but I can't believe I lost. I'm so sorry, Blue. I thought I could stand up for myself…'

She starts to sob as she wraps her hands around the Pokemon, her mouth stating her thoughts as she rests her head against Ivysaur. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, Ivy…so…sorry…"

Witnessing this, Red felt bad when he remembered something, his thought making a statement. 'I forgot how much Yellow was always underestimated. Taken lightly in school due to her sweet and kind personality. All she wants is recognition and she will do reckless things for it. Most people don't realize but that is why she is always taken care of by Blue. He wants the best for her although he won't show it or admit it.'

'Can I even help?' As he was about to crouch and comfort the sobbing, the red capped teen was attacked by a blast of fire that knocked him several feet from his initial position, surprising both of the teens. Red was struggling while he tries to ascend off the ground, watching in shock as he sees Blue with a look of anger on his face as his starter, now a Charmeleon, has smoke emitting from its mouth. As the raven haired trainer was about to rise, the spiky haired Oak snapped his fingers as his starter started to breath a blast of flame from its mouth which collided, causing several burns to the teen before knocking him onto the fence, his head colliding with the metal pole which made him dizzy as he tries to find his footing.

"What did you do, Red?!" Blue asked, each word coming from his mouth coated with venom and hatred as he grabbed the collar of Red's jacket and pulled him as he looked at his face before he continued. "Better question: how did you escape jail?"

The raven haired teen could barely register what the young Oak was saying before he was punched several times and then thrown to the ground, knocking the wind out of him upon impact. He was about to get up and go for one of his Pokeballs on his belt before he was slashed by Blue's Charmeleon and then got hit in the chest by a blast of black and blue fire which send him through the fence and into the water. Seeing Red in the water, Blue was going to continue to attack before he heard Yellow's sobbing getting louder, immediately forgetting his rage when he rushed to her and trying to comfort her. Realizing that people are starting to pass by, he picked her up and then went towards the direction of Cerulean City as he clicked his teeth, looking at the place he left before he mouthed the words. "You're lucky, today. Red. Very lucky."

After a few moments, Red was thrown onto the shore, coughing and wheezing as he looked at his Feebas, thanking it before he returned the Pokemon. When he was able to breathe coherently, he struggled to his feet as he limped his way to Cerulean City Pokemon Center, dropping a few times on his path to the red building. After almost an hour of walking, the red capped trainer let out a breath of relief as he is able to see the glass doors of the center, trying his best to increase the speed of his limp until he was able to put his head by the wall of the building near the glass doors. As he tries his best to move again, he heard a voice called out of him.

"Red!"

Red let out a sigh as he braced himself for another beat down when he was tackled to the wall, expecting a flurry of punches but he instead felt shuffling and cuddling. As the teen opened his eyes, he looked in surprised as he saw Leaf hugging him, nuzzling her head under his neck before she spoke. "I'm so glad that you're still alive! After everything that happened on Mt. Moon and what was said on the news from the witnesses, I though-"

She could not finish her statement as she saw the disheveled and bruised state that the teen was in, causing her to gasp as she quickly dragged him into the Pokemon center for healing.

"Red! What happened to you?" She asked, worried. The brunette did not bother hearing an answer as she asked Nurse Joy to help him. Leaf ordered a room for the both of them as she waited for the teen, taking his bag and Pokemon as she had done so. After a few hours of the teen getting patched up, the brunette heard knocking on the door, opening it to Red whose body is almost covered in bandages.

"Hehe… You look like a mummy." Leaf said as she tries her best to hold back her laughter. The boy simply sighed as he went and sat down on the bed before he was given a plate with a slice of pizza, looking at Leaf as she happily ate a slice. "It's good. Try it."

The two trainers started to eat and catch up with each other as they spent all night conversing with each other along with playing with their Pokemon, Leaf glad to meet an old acquaintance and Red just happy to be alive as the moon glows brightly in the night sky.

**Another one…finished. She returns once again, people. Leaf is back again. This chapter was like a family reunion as almost every character was shown. Now this chapter was supposed to have Blue and Red duke it out however I think that is better for another time as this chapter is literally named 'Yellow vs Red'. Hope that you guys are enjoying the story and thanks for reading. I'll see you guys later and please stay safe out there. Enigma out!**


	22. Chapter 21: A Friendly Break

The sunlight peered into the room, causing Red to open his eyes to see the ceiling of his room, the sleepiness leaving his body. He tried to get up only to be rewarded with an ache, earning a groan from him until his body instinctively fall back on the bed. Coming to the realization that the pain is a bit unpleasant and he has to endure it in order to move, the raven haired teen rest his body and close his eyes for a few moments, mentally preparing himself for a few minutes, inhaling and exhaling. After a few minutes of preparation, he immediately opened his eyes and got up, enduring the intense discomfort that coursed through his body until he was able to sit upright, slightly panting from the action. He then looked around the room, seeing another bed across the room which has a sleeping Leaf who was wrapped in sheets slightly moving in her slumber to make herself more comfortable.

'Well, at least one of us is comfortable.' Red thought, letting out a sigh and getting up, making his way to the bathroom and getting himself ready for the day. After a few minutes, he was finished with the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel before he looked at Shinx sleeping peacefully, a smile coming across his face as he petted the little lynx causing it to purr in its sleep with a smile. 'The last couple days were quite hectic.'

As he concluded that thought, his hands brushed his bandaged burns and wounds that he had suffered for the past few days, wincing in pain as his fingers slightly grazed them. He was about to pick up his jeans and put it on until he heard shuffling and groaning, turning around to see Leaf waking up and rubbing her eyes before she nonchalantly wipes the drool off her face. After she rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes, she notices Red which causes a smile to immediately appear on her face when she starts to wave. "Good morning, Red…"

She then notices the raven haired teen putting on his clothes which made her raise a brow before she got out of her bed, scratching her head as she yawned. "Wwwheere are you going? I hope that you're not thinking of challenging the Gym today or going to exercise."

Red nonchalantly nodded before he put on his jacket and cap which the brunette noticed to be burnt and tattered. She then stomped over to the teen, glaring at him before she put a finger on his chest.

"Oh no, mister! You're resting today. Did you see how badly burnt and hurt you were yesterday? I was surprised that you even took my hug tackle without being knocked out?" Leaf scolded the raven haired teen, pushing him onto the bed which made him wake up Shinx. The Pokemon started to panic as it let out a shock that electrified him. Calming down the blue lynx, Red looked at his roommate, seeing that she was sorting out her bed before going into the bathroom when she stopped by the door and continued. "Plus, Misty's on a date today sooo the gym is closed for today and possibly tomorrow. So sit down and rest, I'll be out in a minute and then we can get breakfast."

She then went inside the bathroom and closed the door, leaving him with Shinx when it looked at him in confusion before licking its paw. He then sighed in defeat before the door opened again, Leaf poking her head out and pointing at him. "Don't even think of sneaking off. I will find you. No one can escape the eyes and ears of the chestnut detective, Leaf Green and live to tell about it!"

"The…chestnut detective?" Red thought aloud, confusion taking his mind. He then had to hold in his laughter as he thought about Leaf with her head being replaced by a Seedot, trying to pinch himself to make it not look so obvious. His tactic succeeded when he heard the bathroom door close, able to relief himself as he put the pillow on his face, his chuckles muffled under it before calming down.

As he threw the pillow at the end of the bed, he then got up, being reminded of the pain that plagued him earlier, before looking down at his bandaged injuries. He then turned to his cap, seeing the thing tattered when he held it in the air, feeling the burnt cloth of the brim before he put it down, his mouth stating his thoughts. "You have went through a lot. Man, it was just several days ago that it looked as good as new."

Red then put the cap down as he waited for his female roommate to finish showering and preparing herself. Feeling boredom from waiting for her, he releases his Pokemon from their Pokeballs as he is about to play with them, Beedrill immediately rushing towards its trainer, cuddling with the trainer as Clefairy climbs on the bed before it lay down and starts to play with the teen's Pokegear. After a few minutes of waiting, Leaf exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her hair, sighing with content before she saw the teen playing with his Pokemon which brought a smile on her face until her eyes laid upon the pink Fairy type who was wearing Red's cap. It then notices her, waving to her before continuing its check on the device.

"I-i-i-is that a Cl-Clefairy?" The brunette stuttered in shock, seeing Red respond by nodding slowly with a confused look on his face. Still in disbelief of the creature in front of her, Leaf pulls up her Pokedex and scans the Pokemon and read the description, gasping as she finishes. After a moment of silence, the brunette calmly closed the device and put it in her bag before she approached to the raven haired teen with the towel falling off her head and her slightly wet hair covering her eyes, much to his confusion and nervousness. He then notices that his Pokemon retreated away and pretending to other activities which made him glare at them. 'You traitors! Every single one of you.'

Red started to sweat profusely, backing away to the wall as she got closer and closer. Stopping at the foot of his bed, he could barely react as within a second, he was dragged by his feet by the brunette before she grabbed him by the shirt and brought him so close that their nose were touching, him seeing the frustrated look on her face as a thought came to his mind. 'I don't know what's going on and I'm scared to know.'

"Where did you get a Clefairy?" Leaf calmly said as she tried her best to not be entranced by his eyes. Red blinked before he pointed towards the direction of one of the windows, his roommate seeing that it was showing Mt. Moon from the distance. The grip on his shirt got stronger as he saw the brunette squinted her aqua marine eyes at him before she asked another question. "How much did you find?"

Red then thought about his situation, ready to lie until he could sense the malicious aura emitting from Leaf which made him swallow a lump in his throat as he types on his Pokegear and shows the message to her. Reading the message, the brunette's eyes widened as she glared at the teen before she yells. "How?! Seriously, how?! You were able to find the whole family of them when I wasn't able to find a single one! That's just not fair! I wanted one for sooo long but nothing! Not even a Jigglypuff came up! I searched for days…"

Leaf let go of Red as she plopped on the bed, folding her arms as she looked down.

"I hate Team Rocket. They ruined my chances. Damn, that sucks." Leaf pouted as she blew the bangs out of her face, her brows furrowing. Feeling bad for her, Red sighed as he sat beside the girl and put a hand on her shoulder which made her turn her head to him. Taking a breath while Clefairy hopped into his lap, he then exhaled as he began to open his mouth and say. "I'm…sorry to hear…that you have gone through so much to get a Clefairy… If you want…I can help you…with searching for…one…"

Hearing the words coming from Red's mouth caused the brunette to smile crept before she hugged the raven haired teen. Thinking that she needed comfort, he returned the hug as he allowed her to take her time regaining her composure.

'Why does he smell like grapes? There was only a strawberry flavored soap in there so why?' The brunette thought as she sniffed Red's hair before she heard snickering. When she looked around from her peripheral vision, she saw her male roommate's Pokemon trying not to laugh and making kissy faces as they eyed them, encouraging a blush from her face. Out of embarrassment, she broke the hug and quickly got herself ready which made the raven haired boy look at her with a baffled look. After a few minutes, both teenagers were ready as they made their way to the cafeteria section of the center, enjoying some food as Red and his partners ate greedily which caused his female companion along with the rest of the people in the area giving him strange looks. 'Why's everyone looking at me like that? What did I do?'

He then shrugged before he continued eating, zoning everyone out before he saw Leaf looking out the window with a melancholic expression on her face. Once he finished eating and started to wipe his mouth with a napkin, he wondered about her mood before he put his head in his hand. 'I realize that since yesterday she was not as bubbly and loud as she usually is. I wonder what happened to her.'

Realizing that Red was staring at her, Leaf quickly changed her facial expression into a smile as she waved at him and continued eating her food. As the brunette was munching on her breakfast, she then saw the raven haired teen still staring at her as she made a seductive grin while fluttering her eyebrows at him. "What's wrong, Red? Can't take your eyes off me?"

Fighting the blush, he thought for a second before taking out his Pokegear and typing something on it as he gave it to her to read. _'Are you all right? You look out of it._'

'Guess earlier was a bonus. It's gonna take a while before I get him to speak again. I already miss his voice.' She thought with a pout on her face while she took the device. Finishing her read of the Pokegear and entering her number in the device for easy access, as she gives the device back to her friend before waving her hand in the air, saying. "I'm alright, Red. Must've woke up on the wrong side of the bed."

Nodding slowly, Red looked at the girl skeptically before typing another message on his Pokegear, Leaf then hearing a beep as she took out her own.

'_Ever since we met last night, I knew that something was troubling you, I just thought it was just a bad day you were but this seem more than that.' _

As she finished reading, she was about to open her mouth and reply until another beep from her device interrupted her, making her read the next message on the device.

_'__What's wrong, Leaf? I can help if you want me to.'_

Running her hands through her chestnut colored hair, Leaf sighs until she puts down the Pokegear and looks at Red, seeing the worried expression on his face. 'I realized it mostly from this morning. That attitude. She seems frustrated. Very frustrated.'

The brunette then sighed shakily as she said in a low tone but loud enough for Red to hear. "Why don't we go out after this, huh? How does the Bicycle Shop sound?"

The raven haired teen raised brow when he heard the words coming out of her mouth, ready to make a text until he stopped and deleted it, nodding at her request with a smile on his face. Seeing his answer, Leaf smiled as she continued to eat her breakfast with some more enthusiasm in her pace, causing her to choke slightly until she grabbed her soda, chugging it quickly. After they finished their breakfast, the two trainers then went back to their room to get themselves prepared for the day. While they were doing so, Red went to get his jacket and hat only to get them snatched out of his grasp when Leaf folded them and put them in her bag.

"Sorry, Red. Can't have you going out like that? The clothing store is just down the street, let's go and get you a new wardrobe choice." Leaf said, much to his displeasure before she locked arms with him and dragged him out of their room, getting out of the Pokemon Center. Making their way to the store, they passed two Ace Trainers who were having a conversation on the street which caught Red's attention.

"Hey, babe. I got the Cascade Badge yesterday."

"That's great! How was Misty?"

"She's definitely tough but not unbeatable. Once I had the opportunity to heal, it was over for her. But man, did she have an attitude."

"Sound like she's super aggressive."

"Yeah, she was. She did not give me any chance to breath, much less attack. Felt sorry for one of the trainers. They keep getting their butt handed to them by her for the last couple days and the worst part about it, Misty does not waste a chance to just let them have it."

Before the scarlet eyed teen was able to hear anything more, he was dragged away as he noticed that Leaf's grip on his arm got tighter and stronger as she accelerated down the street. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the clothing store when the brunette dragged her companion into the vast array of clothes.

"I need some new clothes for mountainous areas. Can't go climbing with a skirt on, right?" She said as they both wandered through the store. A huge smile on Leaf's face as she let him go and went to the hiking section of the store before she turned around and squinted her eyes at Red.

"You better get something by the time that I'm done." She said as she ran off in the aisle, leaving the raven haired teen to his lonesome. As they searched throughout the vast array of garments within the room, Red heard his female companion squeal as she rushed into the changing room in the blink of an eye, sounds of shuffling coming from it. He looks around the store for a bit, stopping abruptly as something catches his eye. "T-this…this is…"

"This is perfect." His red eyes gleamed with excitement before he picked up the clothing and went to change into it, waiting for Leaf to finish. It took a few more minutes before she came out, dressed in a black blouse with some light blue in the form of a circle at the neck section with blue shorts along with a pair of black and blue sneakers. The brunette searches for the raven haired boy before she twirls in front of him and make a model pose with a smile across her face. "Well, how do I look?"

She could see the look of surprise on his face before he smiles, nodding with two thumbs ups which made her smirk, an idea popping in her head as she walks up to him. Before she was about to do anything, she noticed that he was wearing a shirt which had a weird insignia on it which upon closer inspection made her eyes widened in surprise until her mouth started to project her thoughts. "A-a constellation shirt of a Ninetales?"

As the brunette lifted her gaze from the shirt, she immediately blushed as she saw the huge gleam in Red's eyes and the big smile on his face like he was a child that has gotten a perfect Christmas present before she turned away in order to hide her red face from him.

'S-screw him and his eyes. T-those beautiful, marvelous, sparkling eyes…' She thought, clicking her teeth as he looked at her skeptically. Being able to conceal her blush, Leaf turned around and cleared her throat before she asked a question she wanted to know the answer to since she saw the shirt. "Why a Ninetales though? I thought most boys prefer Arcanine or Charizard rather than Ninetales in terms of Pokemon choices for clothing and design."

Red then took out his Pokegear and started to type a message, his smile slowly fading while doing so before he tapped a final button which immediately made the brunette's own start ringing before she opened the incoming message and read it.

'_Well… my mother used to own a very beautiful Ninetales by the name of Amber. She was so pretty and graceful and always helped my mom with me with chores. We never started on good terms but after some time, we were almost inseparable.' _She paused a smile on her face before she resumes.

_'__It made me want a Vulpix as a starter and my mom was willing to do so until… one day it just disappeared.' _Leaf paused as she looked at the raven haired teen whose hair was hiding his eyes and half of his face, concealing his expression and making hard to read how he is feeling. The brunette walked up to him and hugged him before she stepped back and look at him.

"You look good in it. Now we need some extra clothes and we're good." Nodding at how good the boy looked in the shirt, she then ran through the clothing isles as she picked up various clothes for the teen to wear, causing his eyes to widen as he saw the mountain of garments that she has for him to try out. He protested which fell on deaf ears as he saw Leaf clasping her hands, intertwining their fingers and keeping a grip on him before he saw the smile on her face which made him realize his fate. "Please, Red."

'Oh no.' Was the last thing he could say before he was dragged by the girl.

After an hour of going through different clothing, both teenagers came out as the brunette checked out her Pokegear before an idea popped in her head, turning around to her male companion with a smile on her face which gave him goosebumps when he noticed it. 'Oh no. That smile again. Let's just hope it's not anything bad.'

"Heeeyy, Reeeed." Leaf said in an innocent tone, going beside him and locking arms with him before she directs him towards the Pokemon Center when she continued. "You wanna go to the Cape?"

Hearing the question, the teen made a sigh of relief before happily nodded while they made their way towards the northern section of the town. After they dropped off their clothing bags in the red building, they walked to Route 25, taking minutes before they reached the Cape. As they reach an open field, they both released their Pokemon before they relaxed, Red dropping to the ground while Leaf inhaled the air and then closed her eyes and feel the wind brushing past her. Sprawled out on the grass, the raven haired teen felt something on his chest as he looked up and saw Shinx folding its body and resting before it quickly fell asleep which immediately put a smile on his face as he laid back again. His gaze then went towards Leaf's Pokemon as he saw her Squirtle now a Wartortle who was swimming in the pond along with his Feebas which Leaf didn't seem to notice before he moved his gaze again, it now being on a green Pokemon with flowers for hands sitting along with his Beedrill. 'Is that…Budew's evolution? It looks similar to it.'

Seeing the confusion shown from the bottom section of Red's face, the brunette sat beside him before she brushed his hair in order to make his eyes and face more visible, seeing the complete look of bewilderment on the teen's face which took out a chuckle from her.

"Roselia." She said, catching his attention as she starts to play with his cheeks, earning a groan from him which made her giggle while she continued. "That's the Pokemon there. Roselia, my Budew's evolution."

After she made her explanation, a brown rabbit like Pokemon with fleece on the tip of its curled ears jumped onto her lap as it hopped around and squeaked with joy before going to play with Clefairy. She turned to see the bewildered look on Red's face while eyeing the creature as it started to play with the pink fairy, both laughing as they frolic and played around the route, causing her to laugh silently which did not go unnoticed by him.

"That's Buneary. A new member of my team. I found her on this route. Gotta say she's got a lot of attitude and really strong." Leaf said, her expression first shown as one of melancholy before she smiled when she turned to the raven haired teen which did not go unnoticed by him. Playing dumb and waiting patiently until she is comfortable with telling him what is going on, he nods before he closes his eyes, aiming to take a nap. As he did so, he heard shuffling beside him, opening his eyes to see the girl beside him, laying down and turning her gaze to the sky, much to her relief which Red notice as he continue to rest while the rest of the Pokemon frolic with each other. For an hour, the two teenagers enjoyed the silence while the trees danced with the wind, both enjoying a nap until noise started to resonate in the air, shocking Red out of his daze and frightened Leaf up from the ground.

They got up to witness a couple by the edge of Cerulean Cape arguing until both of them visibly cringed when they heard a slap that echoed through the area. As another slap connected, they both once again visibly cowered before Leaf put a hand on Red's shoulder.

"I won't do that to you." She joked, making him confused which made her laugh at his reaction. 'Wha?'

They both then see an orange haired girl who is in a white and red sleeveless blouse and jean shorts and white and red shoes walking up towards them with a scowl on her face.

"Jerk! Ungrateful jerk! I can't believe he was two timing me!" The orange haired girl said before she noticed the silent and astonished spectators causing her to blush. She then growl angrily until she starts to walk quickly towards them. Red would have thought that the young woman's head looked like it was on fire before he noticed the look of pure anger on her face. He also realizes that she is coming closer towards their direction with her hands turning into fists, much to his displeasure. When he turned towards Leaf, he catches her trying her best to hide where she was but acting natural, almost as if she doesn't want to be here before he realizes that the orange haired girl is in front of the both of them, her expression softens to a cheeky smirk upon seeing the brunette that Red thought only Blue could pull off.

"I never thought I would see you here at Cerulean Cape. So what are you doing here, Leafy? Sulking, I bet." The girl said in a mocking tone, her smile grew larger and wider. Red expected Leaf to have a rebuttal but was surprised to witness the uncomfortable look on the Leaf's face as her shoulders slouched, mumbling something quiet and inaudible that no one could hear.

"I can't hear you, loser. Try speaking up please, maybe you could win at something that for once." The orange haired teen taunted with an overconfident tone in her voice when she cocked her ears. As the teasing continued, the brunette clenched her fists in anger as her Buneary glared maliciously at the woman. Feeling bad for the brunette, Red went over to her before he grabbed her hand and lightly dragged her away from the Cape, her phone buzzing with a message from him that tells her that they should leave to which she nodded. Getting ready to leave, they both stop as the raven haired teen felt a grip on his shirt before he was violently grabbed and found himself face to face with the orange hared girl who was taunting Leaf earlier, his expression to harden as he looked at her.

"Who the heck are you? I don't remember Lulu here having a male friend. Did you pay someone to comfort you? Ha! Let me tell you, sh-" She suddenly stopped when she noticed Red's crimson eyes, seeing the glint of anger within them which caused her to back away in fear before she regained her composure.

"Y-you d-don't scare me, you damn red eyed freak! I am Misty, the gym leader of Cerulean City, ya hear me?" The orange haired girl, now known as Misty, announced with a stutter to him which caused Leaf to blink as she turned around and slowly made her way towards the woman. 'What did she say?'

"What are you, an abomination, a Pokemon? Those eyes cannot be real! They're like contacts! You look like the human embodiment of Giratina itself with them!" She continued insulting him as people started to group and spectate when they recognize the gym leader, much to the teen's fear and nervousness as he hid his eyes in his hair only to be stopped by Misty who grabbed his hands to prevent him from doing so. Smiling at the fact that she hit a nerve, she was about to announce the teen's unique eyes to the crowd before she saw a hand coming straight towards her which was followed by a sound that echoed through the whole Cape as everyone gasped.

Silence filled the air as the orange haired girl felt her reddened cheek before her eyes made their way towards the cause of it which was Leaf who was looking at her with an angered look.

"How dare yo-" Misty yelled before she was interrupted by the brunette.

"Don't you **dare** insult him? Trust me, do that again and I will make you regret it for the rest of your life." The brunette said, her tone going darker which unnerved the gym leader before she grabbed Red's hand and walked away. "Let's go, Red. We're outta here."

"I will not stand for this, Leafy! You get back here now. I'm not gonna make you get away with this!" Misty shouted at the top of her lungs before she rushed the two teens in blind rage, knocking all of them to the ground and causing a scuffle to ensue on the ground, making the crowd riled up as they took sides and cheered.

After a minute of struggling and fighting, the gym leader immediately getting pushed off onto the grass by Leaf. When the three of them ascends from the ground, the brunette notices that Red is searching through the grass for something with a look of pure panic and dread on his face. Before she is able to say anything, she hears chuckling from Misty which got both of the trainers' attention.

"Looking for this?" She said as she dangled two piece of jewelry, making both of their eyes widened as they recognized what they were.

"My necklace. / My bracelet." They both said in unison when Leaf approaches the orange haired woman, her thoughts started to project through her mouth. "Yep, this bitch has chosen her fate."

"Nuh-uh-uuuh. Take one step and say goodbye to these!" The gym leader said with a huge grin on her face, about to throw the items in the pond which made both of the teens have to stop in their tracks, standing still as she just played with the jewelry. "Do you think this would look good on me?"

"Give those back, Misty! What do you even obtain from this?" Leaf questioned the orange haired gym leader while the woman started to juggle the ornaments, pretending to drop the necklace and enjoying the look of horror on Red's face. Hearing the brunette's question, Misty's facial expression hardened as she pointed at her face with gritted teeth. "You slapped me in my face, you damn broad! Both of you have embarrassed me and I don't like that!"

"How about this? A gym battle tomorrow. If both of you win, you get back your little jewelry and I'll stop the teasing. However if I win, I take these and you have to kiss your asses goodbye as trainers and find something else to do." She proposed before she started laughing hysterically, much to the distress of Red and Leaf as they both looked at each other with uneasy expressions. Seeing the nod from her scarlet eyed friend, she huddled him near a tree before she opened her mouth and spoke. "Are you sure about this, Red? She's really strong."

Red then nodded before something clicked in his brain before he opened his mouth and muttered, forgetting that Leaf is able to hear to him. "I wonder if she is the reason..."

Surprised by the sudden question and how sharp the raven haired teen, the brunette looked at the ground with a melancholic expression before she nodded and sighed. "…yes…"

Realizing her mood and feeling sorry for her, Red then closed his eyes before he uttered. "Got it. You don't…have to battle her, I'll find a way…to make it so that I…have to beat her alone."

"No! I need this. I want a rematch and to see her fall." The brunette spoke with confidence while glaring at Misty who was waiting and speaking to some of the trainers from the crowd before the brunette continued. "I want revenge. Plus, it'll be a bonus with you watching me win."

"Guess like we have a choice… So you ready for this?" Red sighed as he let out a chuckle as Leaf nodded in agreement before she answered. "Yeah. I was born ready."

The two trainers got out of their huddle before they approached Misty who had a knowing smirk on her face. "So what's your answer?"

Both trainers looked at each other and nodded before Leaf announced. "You got yourself a deal, Misty."

She then looked at Red, seeing the wounds on his body, her mind in worry before she stated something. "However, you're gonna give us a week to prepare for the battle."

"Alright, fine. I'll give you scrubs a week to train. Haha! You're gonna need it. We will be having the battle at 10 AM next Friday. Don't wuss out!" Misty said with a smug expression on her face before she walks past the two trainers who could do nothing but stand and watch as she go. The gym leader then snaps her fingers which causes both Red and Leaf to get hit by a bomb of water, both of them looking up to see a seagull like Pokemon that perches on the orange haired woman's head. After a few minutes of drying themselves in silence and the crowd dying down, both trainers returned to their room as they prepared themselves for the next day.

"Today was awesome! I got new clothes that I can use for hiking, got to chill and most important of all, I got to slap Misty in her face!" Leaf exclaimed before she plopped on her bed, her Buneary releasing itself and all of the other Pokemon out of their Pokeballs as it played with them. Red shook his head at the antics of the Pokemon along with his roommate's happiness as his hand drifted to his neck, immediately feeling sad about the absence of his necklace which did not go unnoticed by everyone in the room.

"Don't worry, Red. We'll get your necklace back. Count on it." The brunette said, her face beaming with confidence. The raven haired trainer nodded before he sent her a message, her eyes widened as she read the text.

_"__Sorry, it feels weird without it as I usually wear it all my life. Kinda feel naked without it. I know we will win. It's sort of a memento from my dad. How about you?"_

"I'm alright. Aren't I always? But I'm gonna need back my bracelet though." Leaf responded before she heard another beep on her device, checking the incoming text.

_"__Looks like you really like that bracelet, huh?"_

"Well, yeah. You didn't notice? It's the one that you gave to me."

_"__So what's the deal with you and Misty?"_

"Well, when I came here, I went to challenge her after training myself during the Mt. Moon incident however she beat me. Every time I tried battling her, I keep losing to her but I won't give up."

_"__You got that right. We need to win this."_

"Exactly! Now let's get some sleep. I can't wait for tomorrow to show you what I've learnt since the last time we met." Leaf said excitedly which earned a silent chuckle to come from Red. After a couple hours of enjoying dinner and chatting, both trainers whispered 'Good night' to each other before going to sleep, anxiously awaiting the next day.

A few days later, the sunshine peers on to announce a new day, both teenagers wake up as they made their way to Route 5. Reaching the place, Leaf stretched her body and Red surveyed the area. 'Yep. This is perfect.'

They both released their Pokemon, who were brimming with energy as they came out of their capsules, before the brunette announced with impatience and anxiousness in her tone. "Alright, guys! It's time to start training!"

Red chuckled as he saw the girl immediately fighting various wild creatures of the area before he felt a drag on his pants, seeing Shinx and Clefairy motioning to the area along with Beedrill pushing him as he nodded and followed them before silently muttering.

"Yeah… Let's get this started."

**It's finished. Whoo! I really dunno what to say but for those of you who are wondering about Leaf's hiking outfit description, it's basically how she looks in Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee. I did not know what to write for the title of this chapter for a while now so I'm just going with the first thing that came to mind. I don't exactly have much to say apart from thanks for your reviews and for reading the story. Once again, don't hold back in sharing your thoughts on the story so far. Also, please stay safe and enjoy your day or night. Enigma out!**


	23. Chapter 22: Aquatic Showdown

Everything was quiet as the sun rose from the horizon, signaling the start of a Friday morning as every person got themselves ready for their daily chores and activities. In the city of Cerulean, there was one place that was open very early as every trainer congregated, filling up the seats in the spectators' section as they all conversed about the event taking place today, making their bets as they awaited for the event.

"Hey! Who do you think is gonna win this?"

"Misty is strong and all but that kid in the cap looks terrifying. I don't think he's gonna make it easy for her."

"Yeah, he might win this. My money is on him."

"You do know that both him and the chick he was with has to win, right? Even if he wins, it would be all for nothing if the girl loses."

"Oh yeah and to make matters worse, she did not have a good time the times that she fought Misty."

"A good time is an understatement. She got washed every single battle. Feel sorry for her. They're not winning, based off her alone."

As the people continue prattling on, Misty arrives on the battlefield which is a huge pool with platforms made for Pokemon that is unable to swim. As she arrived, multiple fanboys and fangirls screamed to the top of their lungs as she waved towards them, anxiously waiting for her opponents.

"Let's hope that they didn't chicken out." She thought aloud as she waited for her opponents.

After an hour of waiting, people were starting to get ready to leave due to boredom while Misty sat down and played with the water. 'What is taking them so long? Don't tell me they actually too scared? Wouldn't blame th-'

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sound that resonated in the air, moving everyone's attention to the gym's entrance as both Red and Leaf emerged, rekindling the audience's excitement as they both walked up to the battlefield, glaring at the gym leader with looks of pure confidence. Upon looking at them and their expression, the orange haired girl smirk as she dried her feet.

"I hope you're ready to lose." Misty said when she got up and went to her side of the arena, waiting for one of the two trainers to come forward and battle her. Red was about to make Leaf take the first battle before he felt a grab on his jacket, his attention on the brunette as she said. "You should take the first turn. I battled her too many times and I think you deserve a chance right now. Plus, last time I took the first turn now it's all you."

Before he was about to ask if she was sure about the decision, Leaf was already sitting down in one of the spectator seats cheering him on which made a sigh release out of the red capped teenager's mouth. Readying a Pokeball, he turns towards the gym leader whose arms are folded, her leg tapping in impatience before she readied her own capsule as she yelled. "Finally, first you show up late and you almost take an eternity to choose who would battle me first. Sheesh, it's not gonna matter cause the both of you are gonna lose to me today."

Red continues to be silent as he brings the brim of his cap over one of his eyes, angering Misty as she glares to the referee, waiting for him to start the match.

"The match between challenger Gym leader Misty and challenger Red will be going underway! This battle will be a 3 on 3 battle with substitutions being allowed! The battle will be finished once all Pokemon on one side is unable to continue! Any objections?" The referee announced, looking at both combatants shook their heads. He then brought his flags up and then descended as he shouted. "Now let the Cerulean City gym battle begin!"

As the announcement was made, Misty threw a Pokeball in the air, the capsule releasing a white and blue seagull like Pokemon that took to the skies. Observing the bird as it perched on one of the platforms on the arena. Realizing the Pokemon, Red sends out Shinx who gets into a battle stance as it awaits for its trainers orders.

'If I remember correctly, that Pokemon is called Wingull. A Water and Flying type.' He thought before his thoughts were interrupted as a voice boomed through the room.

"Water Pulse, now!" Misty stated impatiently. Hearing the order, the seagull takes flight and starts to shoot a sphere of compressed water at the Electric type. As the attack came close, the blue lynx avoids the attack by jumping onto another platform when it keeps itself on guard for any sneak attacks, much to Misty's dismay.

"Keep shooting them Water Pulses, Wingull!" The orange haired girl announced before the seagull started to shoot more of the spheres, its opponent dodging them as it nimbly moved from platform to platform. Realizing that she's not giving him a chance to announce an attack, the raven haired teen failed to see that the attacks did not make contact to the water but are floating before Misty said a command that made Leaf sweat as she realized what was going on. "Oh no… This is not gonna be good…"

"Use Twister now, Wingull!" The gym leader stated as the Seagull Pokemon started to flap its wings, creating a vortex that was making its way to Shinx. Before the Electric type and its trainer could react, the attack starts to absorb all the water spheres around it which made it stronger and transforming it into a tornado of water. The Flash Pokemon tries to dodge the attack which is futile as the force of the attack draws it in, ascending it into the air, much to Red's dismay. Taking damage from the move, the tornado subsided which caused the blue lynx to fall to the ground. Before it landed, it was assaulted by Wingull when Misty commanded it to use Air Cutter which knocked it back into the air. The raven haired teen could only helplessly watched before the Wingull was commanded it to use another Twister. Everyone started cheering as they saw the Pokemon being hit by another Twister and Air Cutter combo while Leaf started to clasp her hands tightly, worry etched on her face. 'C'mon, Red. You can do this.'

"Well, it's best to just call it quits now, Red. Shinx is not gonna hold out for long with this." The gym leader stated triumphantly before laughing. Red watches as Shinx is once again hit before he gets an idea, uttering a command. "Charge and don't let up."

Misty then commanded Wingull to keep its momentum while the blue lynx started to absorb the particles in the air, an electric armor forming around it which makes it able to better endure the hits from the Water type. As the battle rages on, the seagull starts to get feel exhaustion, descending as its wings got heavy, much to Misty's irritation. When it landed on one of the platforms to catch its breath, she watched as her opponent recovered from the endless barrage of attacks when it fell into the water and swam back to one of the platforms. Shinx shakes the water before it hears Red utter one word, roaring which made everyone flinch before the electricity in its body starts to explode until it sprints towards Wingull. Everyone could only watched as the lynx was completely unseen, only a lightning bolt is going towards the Flying type, hitting the Pokemon before it could react as it is knocked past Misty and into the wall behind her, causing a huge dent.

Silence claimed the area as everyone witnessed that the seagull was knocked unconscious, not able to move a single muscle. Returning the gym leader, glaring at him while the referee announces the result of the battle. "Wingull is unable to battle, the winner is Sh-"

Noticing something at his peripheral vision, he along with everyone were quiet until they saw the electricity within the field. As the lightning starts to subside, showing a Pokemon that looks like a larger version of Shinx that has a tufty black mane surrounding its face with a longer black tail. The Electric type roared as electricity emits from its body before it jumps back to Red's side of the platform. Surprised by the development of the battle and curious by the lynx on the field, Leaf fished for her Pokedex and scanned the Pokemon before a voice started to explain the description of the creature.

_'__Luxio, the Spark Pokemon and the evolved form of Shinx. Strong electricity courses through the tips of its sharp claws. A light scratch causes fainting in foes.'_

As she puts back the device when she notices the annoyed look on Misty as she glares at the newly evolved Luxio as it jumps off to Red's and purrs as Red pets the lynx while the referee announces the results of the previous match.

'That look on her face is sooo satisfying. Thanks, Red. This is a souvenir for the ages.' The brunette snickered, taking a picture. She heard the orange haired gym leader's loud voice boomed through the gym when she summoned another Pokemon which is a light blue, bipedal with a purple wavy stripe going down its back. The Water type hops into the pool, poking its head out of the surface with a carefree smile on its face. Seeing the Pokemon piques Red's curiosity when he took out his Pokedex which started to scan the blue fish before it started to explain.

_'__Quagsire, the Water Fish Pokemon and the evolved form of Wooper. __Due to its relaxed and carefree attitude, it often bumps its head on boulders and boat hulls as it swims.'_

"It's a Water and Ground type." The raven haired trainer put the device in his bag as he is about to recall before the Pokemon refuses, wanting to stay in the battle as he made a worried expression as he remembers the ordeal it dealt with Wingull. "Are you sure you will be alright?"

Luxio smiles and nods as it turns to its opponent, much to Red's dismay. The referee announced the second match, descending his flags before Misty immediately shouting a command which caught her opponent off guard. "Mud Bomb now!"

Quagsire opens its mouth before it shoots a ball of mud which goes into the air then descends into the Electric type as it hears its trainer's command as it nimbly avoids the attack.

"Bite, Luxio." Before anyone was able to react, Luxio then sprinted towards the Water Fish Pokemon, closing the gap in record time with its evolved speed and then opened its mouth when it bit the Ground type, taking it out of the water and slamming it down on the platform.

"Nice one. Now Tackle." Red ordered which made the Pokemon tackled Quagsire, sending it crashing to the side of a platform until it fell into the water. Emerging from the water, the water fish had a carefree look despite the damage scars done to its body, much to his frustration. 'Is the Pokemon that carefree or is it enduring the attacks that well?'

Misty smirked as she witnessed the confused look at her opponent's face before she voiced an order. "Now Quagsire, use Mud Bomb!"

The Water type then opens its mouth before it shoots a barrage of mud spheres at Luxio only to be rewarded with failure as the opponent dodges it and able to counter with a Tackle, knocking it further underneath the surface of the pool before swimming back to shore. Misty looked incredulously as she witnesses Luxio holding its own against Quagsire despite the type disadvantage and tanking her Pokemon's attacks. 'Great! I'm being played for a chump while his Pokemon is dancing circles around Quagsire.'

As the Electric type secured another Tackle, the gym leader gritted her teeth as she started to mutter to herself. "That Charge move boosted its defenses more than I thought. I know it's not that mobile in water. Hmmm…"

She then snapped her fingers as an idea popped in her head, Leaf immediately becoming worried after she saw the expression on the gym leader's face. "I don't like this…"

"Well, I can't battle him head on like this so I gotta remove his mobility." She muttered before she cleared her throat and made her command. "Quagsire, Acid Spray and Mud Bomb and don't let up!"

As she made her order, Quagsire then shot a barrage of mud and acid spheres at Luxio only for the attack to miss as the Electric type nimbly dodges them, making the attacks land on the platforms that it was previously on. After dodging various projectiles and landing on a podium, it then slid and then fell into the water, struggling to get on a platform only for the same thing to repeat again. Before it is able to try again, the Electric type got hit with a Water Pulse that sent it below the water surface, much to everyone surprise as Red called for the Pokemon to come back up. "C'mon Luxio. You have done enough, buddy. Just throw in a towel!"

Realizing and getting no response from Luxio, the teen's eyes widened before he quickly jumped into the pool in a state of panic, searching around worriedly. He then found the Pokemon, swimming towards it and taking it up to the surface. Nurse Joy and Leaf, along with a bunch of doctors arrived on the scene when he emerged to the surface, the people taking the Pokemon on a stretcher before they went out of the building. The teen was about to follow before the Electric type gave him a look which made him stay before he heard a voice in his head.

_'__You…have to win… I'll…be alright…'_

Red nodded, turning around and glaring at the gym leader before he readied his Pokeball which released Beedrill which was hovering over the pool as it looked at its opponent in the water, awaiting its trainer's command. "A Beedrill?! You know it is part Poison, right? Not very good to be doing when you're facing against a Ground type, dearie."

The raven haired teen just stayed quiet before the yellow bee tackled him into a hug which brought a wave of laughs from the crowd until it flies back to the field, noticing the muddy platforms. Getting impatient at waiting and annoyed at her opponent's almost stoic behaviour, Misty yells a command, surprising and frightening everyone with the anger that was present in her tone. "Mud Bomb now!"

"Dodge then Poison Sting." Obeying its trainer's command, Quagsire let out a barrage of mud pellets at the Bug type which ended unsuccessfully as it evades the move. Before anyone could react or see, Beedrill landed a quick Poison Sting on the Water and Ground type before ascending back into the air. "Water Pulse now!"

The Pokemon obliged, letting out a sphere of water to its opponent who easily dodges the attack before both it and its trainer hear the gym leader's voice again. "Don't let up. Keep firing."

As it let out a barrage of Water Pulse, everyone in the crowd cheered to the top of their lungs as Beedrill avoided the attacks under Red's command, flying throughout the battlefield as it has done so. Dodging the last barrage of sphere, it then came close before winding it stinger to attack its opponent. Realizing what is going on, she ordered Quagsire to counterattack with an Ice Punch which caused a strong shockwave causing huge ripples in the pool.

"Mud Bomb!" Misty stated as her Pokemon prepared for the attack as her opponent thought quickly as his mouth opened instantly. "Twineedle to stop it."

Beedrill immediately stabbed the Water type twice, causing it to stagger as it retreated back to its side of the field. When it flew back, the scarlet eyed teen noticed that the blue fish attacked before he reflexively muttered a singular command. "String Shot."

Turning around in an instant while it was making the silky strings, the yellow bee caught the muddy projectiles and send them back to its opponent, surprising everyone when it hit Quagsire in the eyes and blinding it temporarily.

"So I can use the mud against him, huh? I should've recognized that String Shot can be used in that way." The raven haired teen mumbled while he is watching his opponent.

Quagsire then went underwater to clean the mud off its face when he got an idea, ready for when the Water type emerges from the pool. As Misty commanded another Water Pulse, the Ground type let out a sphere of water which caused waves to follow the projectile as it got to the other side. "Dodge then Twineedle."

Beedrill ascended into the air, avoiding the attack before it dived towards its opponent with its stingers raised, stabbing it twice which knocked the Pokemon backwards. The gym leader fumed as she pulled her hair, seeing that her foe is not letting up on the assault as it secured a Pursuit attack before flying away into the sky. 'Grrr… you gotta be kidding. He's picking Quagsire apart.'

"Acid Spray, Qaugsire!" Misty commanded with anger in her voice. Obeying, Quagsire let out a blast of purple liquid which Beedrill quickly avoids before it gets hit in the face by an Ice Punch from the Water Fish Pokemon. Getting knocked towards the water, the Bug type emerged to the surface as it barely swam its way towards a platform, having trouble getting its balance when the mud made it slip back into the pool, much to Red's dismay. As it struggled to get out of the water, the orange haired gym leader smirked as she commanded her Pokemon to come closer to the bee, the blue fish started swimming quickly towards it.

'Good enough. This will seal its fate.' She thought as her partner was near enough, ordering it to use Mud Bomb with a huge smile on her face. As the Water type spits out a ball of mud towards its opponent, Red thought fast, shouting a command in desperation to Beedrill. "Use String Shot between your stingers quick, Beedrill."

The Bug type obeyed, spilling strings of silk between its stingers which managed to stay strong despite the water before it was told by its trainer to raise it above its face. Witnessing the Bee Pokemon's movements, Leaf's eyes widened when she started to slowly realize what it's trying to do as her mouth projected her thoughts. "Is Red planning to catch the Mud Bomb…"

Her question was answered when the String Shot caught the attack, much to Red's glee before he made another command. "Great catch! Now try your best to fly and then spin and fling the silk at Quagsire."

"Wait. What? Quagsire, get out of there, quick!" Misty commanded. Her Pokemon obeyed as it quickly swam to its side as their opponent started to flap its wings and slowly get into the air. When it got to a considerable altitude, it started to spin before it threw the silk at Quagsire, something flying out of the silk and reaching at the Ground type at an amazing speed. Before anyone could react, the substance hit the Pokemon, knocking it back to a random platform as it tries to remove what is covering its eyes. It never got the chance to do so when Red commanded Beedrill to go on an all out assault, attacking Quagsire from every angle until the Water type stopped moving, a sign that it has fainted.

"WHAT?!" Was all Misty could shout as she looked at her unconscious Pokemon.

As the referee announced the results of the match, everyone started cheering especially Leaf who jumped in glee, much to Buneary chagrin and embarrassment as it was dragged around from its trainer's cheering despite the various raised brows at her. Veins start to appear on Misty's forehead along with her left eye twitching uncontrollably when she returned her Quagsire, cursing under her breath as she glares at Red while he is congratulating his Beedrill before she turns to Leaf as the brunette hugged her Buneary tight and cheer loudly for the red capped teen, making him embarrassed as he hid his face in his cap.

"Grrr… I hope that you enjoyed yourself and had your funs and laughs, dork. BUT it's time to say your prayers cause this battle will be a one sided beatdown from here…" She paused, taking out her Pokeball, which on closer inspection looks like a Dive Ball before she continued. "…and trust me, it's not you that's causing the beatdown."

"Oh boy. Here it comes!" One of the people in the crowd said excitedly while other murmurs were going on in the crowd.

"This battle is as good as over for that kid."

"Maybe the kid can beat her. You never know."

"Against that monster of a Pokemon, the last challenger was lucky he beat it."

As everyone were on the edge of their seats waiting for Misty, she then yelled to the top of her lungs as she threw the Dive Ball with all her strength, the ball exploded, letting out some water effects. The light then formed into a purple star with a gem on the center of its body as it stood on one of the platform before it went into a battle stance. As both trainers awaited for the referee to start the match, Misty looks up at Leaf with a scowl on her face as the brunette gives her a friendly wave, which made the gym leader face distorts in an more angered expression as she tried her best to hold back from running through the crowd and ripping the girl to shreds. She then turns her attention to Red, wearing a smile on her face that made the teen know that she is quite annoyed with the situation.

"I promise to break you…completely." Misty mouthed to the teen, causing him to sweat profusely, feeling a chill up his spine. When the referee made his announcement, the gym leader was about to make a command only to be interrupted as her opponent muttered command for Beedrill to use Pursuit, it obeyed as it flew speedily towards and attacked Starmie. The purple starfish got an order to do a Rapid Spin, it rotating itself to shake off its opponent. The orange haired girl smirked before she heard a quick command from Red. "Twineedle."

Misty was unable to react quickly enough as her Pokemon got struck twice by the Bug type's stingers, knocking it back. The bee was about to continue the assault before it was interrupted by another Rapid Spin that made it back away.

"Good job, Starmie. Now Water Pulse." She stated before the purple starfish started to glow as a sphere of water started to form at one of its appendages before it shoot the projectile.

"Dodge then Poison Sting." Beedrill rushes forward at full speed, dodging the projectile and then securing a hit as it jabs Starmie on its gem. It ready to go for another hit however was caught off guard by the orange haired girl's next command. "Water Pulse while it's close."

"Oh no! Beedrill get out of the way!" The yellow bee didn't have the chance to dodge when it was hit by the move. Everyone gasping as they witnessed that the attack seemed to make the Bug type angry as it landed another Poison Sting which caused more damage than the first one.

"Damn, the kid got a critical hit!" One of the spectators stated as they witnessed the Water-type started to wobble a little which did not go unnoticed by Red. Realizing the Pokemon's condition, Misty commanded for it to recover itself, it following the command. Her fists clenched, she looked at her red capped opponent with a look that could take down a Dialga before she stated a low tone.

"No more playing around, Starmie."

When she states this, Starmie nodded as it turns to its opponent, the wind started to stop as everything seemed to stop still, making everybody start to sweat out of anticipation and excitement.

'Beedrill has already taken too much damage. We can't afford to take another hit.' Red thought before he realized something in the pool as he yelled a command to Beedrill. "Beedrill, quick! Pursuit!"

As the Bug type was about to attack and moved from its initial position, it along with everyone was surprised as the spot started to erupt with water like a geyser.

"What the?!" Some of the spectators stated in surprise as another blast of water comes towards the yellow bee as it dodged the attack and went towards Starmie. Beedrill then swooped in to attack before Misty made a command that made both Red and Leaf widen their eyes in worry.

"Psychic, Starmie."

Before the yellow bee could land the hit, the Water type started to glow which made its opponent stuck in midair as it was inches away from attacking it, causing her opponent's eyes to widen as he muttered. "Oh no! Bee-"

"Send it to the wall and then into the water, Starmie." Misty said monotonously and without emotion. Hearing her command, Starmie then used its psychic powers to send the Bug type crashing into the wall, causing a crater before it then send it into the pool.

"Beedrill, String Shot." Red said in desperation, Beedrill trying to fly and spread the strings along the pool and arena to only succumb to its exhaustion as it fell into the pool, him readying his Pokeball only to hear buzzing when he saw the Pokemon using all its might to stay in the air, too stubborn to be beaten and dodging the red beam from its capsule. "Beedrill, you don't have to force yourself."

"Water Twister." Misty said with an uncaring tone. Starmie jumped into the water as it started to glow, rotating in the water as spheres start to form on its appendages. Recognizing what was going on, Red commanded Beedrill to avoid the attack but it was too late as a massive tornado of water immediately enveloped the arena causing everyone to look in awe as they witnessed the attack.

"Woah, what an attack!"

"It's Misty Water Twister! I love it when she uses this."

"Welp, that kid's done."

"Gotta give him credit, he did well."

'Oh no. Red.' Leaf watched the scene with concern before she looked at the worried look on his face. As the attack subsided, the teen could see Beedrill in the air falling, quickly using his Pokeball to return it to save it from the fall. The teen then looked at the capsule, rubbing it and whispering some words of encouragement and assurance. "You did well, Beedrill. You held it in."

Misty had a huge smirk on her face as she awaited her opponent's next Pokemon. "Why don't you do us all a favor and forfeit the match? You lost your Beedrill and your Luxio, which seemed to be the only thing on your team that can handle my Starmie."

Leaf started to sweat, realizing the truth in the gym leader's statement. 'Misty's right. Red only has Clefairy and I don't think it's up to par with Starmie. If he only used it against the Wingull, maybe Shinx would've stand a chance.'

Red readies his Pokeball, which Leaf instantly realizes that it is not the one that belongs to Clefairy as her mouth begins to mouth her confusion. "What the?"

The teen threw the blue ball into the air as it released a Pokemon that went into the water. After a moment, it emerges unto the surface to show a purple fish with darker spots which causes the entire Gym to be filled with silence when they witness the creature. After a few moments, everyone thought the same thing as they all exclaimed in unison.

"WHAT?!"

"Isn't that a…"

"…a Feebas."

After another few moments of silence, everyone then erupted in laughter as they saw Feebas swam around in the pool.

"That's your last Pokemon! Hahahahahaha! This has got to be a joke." Misty said, holding back her chuckles with all her might as the laughter continues. Leaf looked worriedly unto the field as her Buneary sensed the uneasiness of its trainer, trying its best to comfort her which only resulted in failure.

'What are you thinking, Red? Clefairy would be a better matchup against Starmie, even if it was going to be outclassed.' The brunette thought as he arms slightly tightened around the brown bunny.

"Hahaha… Alright, that was a good joke. Now let out your true last Pokemon." Misty stated as she waited, only to see a baffled expression on Red's face. Realizing that the teen is serious about his choice, the gym leader along with everyone shake their heads and chuckle lightly as some of them walked out, seeing that this match will be a one sided beatdown.

"This kid threw it away."

"Seeing what Starmie can do made him lose his marbles."

"He's done. I wanted to stay here a little longer."

"A Feebas, seriously?"

"You're not joking?" Misty said as she hardened her expression as her partner got ready as it braced itself. As the referee made his announcement for the final match of their battle, the orange haired girl made the first move. "Starmie, Rapid Spin."

"Dodge." As Starmie rotates its body and made its way to Feebas, the purple fish nimbly avoids the attack, much to everyone's surprise. The entire gym stood in silence as all eyes are on Red and his Feebas.

'What the? No way. Starmie must have held back.' The gym leader thought as she made her command, getting her Starmie's attention along with everyone else in the stadium. "Starmie, stop holding back and use Water Pulse!"

"Dodge then Tackle." As the purple star let out a sphere of water which it traveled towards its opponent. Everyone jaw drop as Feebas quickly dodges the attack and lands a Tackle on the Water and Psychic type. Knocked back to a platform, Misty commanded Starmie to do another Water Pulse which it quickly did and shot again, this time with more power behind it.

"Water Pulse as well." As the ball of water came towards Feebas, it did the same move as it started glowing and let out a ball of water, causing both attacks to clash and cancel out each other which caused another wave of surprise.

"Woah. He's holding his own against Starmie. I wonder why I never seen him with that Feebas before." Leaf said as she watched the match in awe, her Buneary sharing the same expression.

'This fight might not be as easy as I thought.' Misty thought as the battle rages on, a smirk slowly appearing on her face.

'Well, I'm liking this. This will truly be a battle of the seas.'

**Another chapter done. I did not explain this before in the Brock chapter but gym leaders teams will be a little different and every leader has a different attribute and fighting style about them. So far, you see that Brock has a battle style that literally screams 'A good defense is a good offense.' Misty's battle style you can see so far is that she aggressive offensive in battle and can mix moves to create devastating combos. Hope y'all liking the battle so far. It took me a good amount of time to write this chapter. Tell me how you feel about the story so far and thanks for the lovely reviews for the story. Don't hold back in telling me how you feel about the story and please stay safe, guys. Enigma out!**


	24. Chapter 23: Rain Dance of Victory

The crowd stood still as the battle raged on, surprise filled the air as they all witnessed Red's Feebas holding its own against Misty's Starmie.

"Starmie, Water Pulse"

"Dodge then Tackle, Feebas." As these commands were expressed out of their lips, their partners followed through and obeyed, resulting in Starmie getting tackled to the side of the pool, causing another waves of cheers and 'oohs' from the spectators. The gym leader could feel her face burn up with anger and frustration before she yells another command. "Psychic!"

"Spin and use Dragonbreath." As Red stated this, multiple gasps of surprise and astonishment filled the air as some of the people spoke their minds. "That thing knows Dragonbreath?!"

Among those people is Leaf whose mouth is open in shock, her Buneary trying its best to keep it close while the battle continues. As the violet starfish is about to use its move, it is unable to focus as its opponent spins around and surrounds itself with purple flames, making it unable to attack as it vanishes within its attack, much to Misty's dismay and surprise. "Jeez! Gotta say, you're really unpredictable, Red. You're really full of surprises."

"Tackle." Feebas swims forward in blinding speed, Starmie trying to stop it when its trainer commands it to shoot several Water Pulse at the purple fish. Easily avoiding the attacks, Feebas springs forward before colliding into the starfish, knocking it to the side as they nearly hit the wall. Not losing a beat despite the counter attacks, the next command Misty made got everyone in the crowd excited and on the edge of their seats as the words leave her mouth. "Starmie, Water Tornado."

Obeying the gym leader's command, Starmie starts to spin quickly as every appendage on its body begins to form spheres of concentrated water. After a while, the spheres combines together which created a huge whirlpool that started nearly covering the entire perimeter of the pool. Caught in the attack, Feebas tries its best to swim away from the current which is futile as the attack is too strong, carrying the purple fish away and spinning it around along with everything else in the pool.

"What's wrong, huh? You were so confident with that Pokemon a while ago and now your little wild card is losing. Just accept de-" Misty was unable to finish her sentence when she saw the determined look on Red's face before she looks back at the battle, curious about the reason for his expression. Her eyes widens upon realizing that Feebas is unharmed despite being stuck by the whirlpool, gasping as her mouth begins to voice what she is thinking. "F-Feebas is swimming along with the current and it's… getting faster."

"Water Pulse to propel yourself and use Tackle on Starmie, Feebas." As the red capped teen made his command, his Pokemon responds as it starts to glow which made it go faster, becoming hard for anyone to track it. Before the audience and Misty could react and realize what was about to happen, Feebas escaped the whirlpool as it speedily made its way to Starmie, knocking the Pokemon hard which send it flying out of the water and into the wall. The violet starfish fell to the ground, staggering from the impact that it had before it was able to slowly regain its balance, much to Misty's dismay when she witnesses her Pokemon's struggle. "Starmie! C'mon. Get up."

As Starmie tries its best efforts to get up, the gym leader's eyes started to dart around as she heard the audience comments on the battle.

"Damn! That's gotta hurt."

"Man, Misty's gotta stop toying with this trainer. I mean, he has a Feebas. Feebas sucks!"

"I can't believe Misty is having a hard time with a Feebas."

"Hey Misty! Just stop giving that joke of a trainer confidence and knock out his Feebas!"

Hearing the audience, Red clicked his teeth and tightened his fists as he tried his best to ignore the comments towards him and his Pokemon. As he focused onto the battle, he realized that Feebas also seemed to be angered by the insults before it gave him a look which made him understand what is supposed to be done. "Let's show everyone how awesome you are, Feebas. However we're going to need a change in scenery."

As Starmie recovered from the attack and got into a battle stance when it along with Misty noticed that the purple fish was started to glow as the raven haired trainer muttered a single command. "Rain Dance."

The glow on Feebas' body starts to intensify as the water around it begins to turn into ripples as it made a huge cry, frightening everyone in the stadium. As it did so, the winds starts to get stronger as dark clouds gather around Cerulean City, focusing on the gym. Roars of thunder and flashes of lightning appear about the city, confusing the residents in the city as they hurry to their houses.

"What on ear-" Leaf was about to say before a drop of water started to hit the brunette in her face as another followed, making contact with Buneary which made it jumped in surprise. Realizing what was happening, the referee started to press a button which minimize the size of the ceiling opening, only making the rain fall on the battlefield.

"Been a while since we had to use that, huh?" Misty said to the referee, who responded with a nod before she turned towards Red, saying. "You know. During my time as a gym leader, you're one of the few trainers who has summoned the weather against me."

The red capped teen lifts a brow in confusion, wondering where she is getting at before she continues. "Usually most would use Sunny Day or Sandstorm but you're the first trainer that I know who have ever used Rain Dance against me."

As Misty finishes her statement, she starts to twitch as a vein begins to form on her forehead while she resumes speaking. "…to think that you would be stupid enough to summon the weather that empowers my Pokemon against me…"

Realizing what the gym leader meant, Red eyes widened when he saw the look of pure rage in her eyes along with the dark tone in her voice. If looks could kill, he would be gone within a millisecond.

"I will make you regret using this weather against me. Starmie!" As she called her Pokemon, the violet starfish turned towards her as she continued, voicing a command. "Water Pulse!"

Obeying the order, Starmie started to form a watery sphere which is much bigger than the previous ones before it hurled the move in Feebas' direction. Taking out her Pokedex and scanning the purple fish, Leaf starts to make a little search on the Pokemon before her eyes widens when she finds out some information on it as her mouth starts to voice her thoughts. "…no way…"

As the Water Pulse was several inches from Feebas' face, the attack exploded as it hit the side of the pool, much to Misty and everyone's confusion. As the audience looked wide eyed, some of them scratching their heads, Leaf simply smiled as her mind stated. 'Red Fires…you are a complete madman…'

As everyone looked around for the purple fish, Misty was barely able to notice a violet blur as her Pokemon was knocked aside into a wall by Red's Feebas. Getting annoyed and not missing a beat, the gym leader started to make another command as Starmie quickly recovered. "Psychic, Starmie."

"Dodge." As the violet starfish was about to levitate the fish, its efforts were in vain as its target vanished into the water. Struck with surprise, Starmie is unable to notice a purple stream of flame that Feebas shoot behind it, knocking it unto another platform. Misty shouted another command for her Pokemon to use Water Pulse which was resulted in failure as Feebas dodged the attack, descending into the pool.

As the battle rages, the gym leader find herself in a pickle as throughout the battle she was barely able to even touch the fish Pokemon which adds to her frustration when she has to watch as Starmie gets knocked around by the Water type. As she angrily racked her brain for a way to stop Feebas, everyone looked wide eyed at how the battle that is occurring, their realization hitting as some of their mouths projected what their mind is thinking.

"Man, that kid is actually holding his own…with a Feebas."

"Aren't Feebas supposed to be a weak Pokemon?"

"They are. That kid just really knows how to use one."

Leaf stared blankly at the fight, her mind barely able to process what is going on when Starmie failed another attempt to catch its opponent which instead made it fall prey to a Water Pulse. 'I know that Red is very unpredictable, sometimes mysterious when it comes to how he fights but this…using a Feebas' Swift Swim ability against Starmie? And it's working? I-I don't know what to say about this…he kinda reminds me of someone I saw on Dad's League tapes.'

Realizing that she isn't getting anywhere in her pursuit of catching Feebas, Misty took a deep breath to control her anger before accessing the situation. "Alright. That speed is really annoying me. I need to slow it down somehow. Wait! It's fast in the water but what about on land…"

As her opponent retreated from securing another hit, the orange haired girl made a smirk as she shouted a command that caused Red eyes to widen. "Starmie, Water Tornado. Full Power!"

"Oh no…" Was all Leaf could mutter before Starmie started as it floated over the pool. It then started to spin quickly as it descended into the pool, turning the pool into a huge whirlpool before the water started to rise, taking up Feebas as it did. Before long, the entire water in the pool is in the sky, causing everyone to look up at an enormous tornado as it rises to the ceiling of the gym.

"Feebas, hold on." Red stated in panic as the attack continued for a while before he realized that Starmie seems to be straining. 'To hold up that much, its strong but even it has a limit. It won't be able to let out a power like that for a while.'

"Feebas. Just go with the flow…" The red capped teen silently stated through gritted teeth. Feebas nods to its trainer's command, swimming along the current of the tornado as Starmie resumes the move before Misty hears another order from the raven haired trainer. "Water Pulse."

Hearing its trainer, the purple fish glowed a blue hue as it started to move faster throughout the current of the water. In a single moment, it made brief eye contact with Red, showing a look of understanding before it launched an attack which is shown as ripples in the water. As it came out of the tornado, it changed into the form of a mini tornado that hit Starmie, making it weaker which causes the Water Tornado to slowly collapse despite it trying its best to hold it together with its psychic powers.

"Starmie! Throw down the tornado into the pool with all the strength you have!" Misty ordered. The violet starfish starts to glow brighter as it let down the water with Feebas in it onto the pool, creating a splash that hit Red, Misty and the referee when it descended back into the pool.

"Red! Are you alright?" Leaf shouted. She gets a nod from Red when he took off his cap and jacket and squeeze out the water out of the clothing which revealed his black undershirt. The brunette bit her lip and started to blush as she saw a glint of his scarlet eyes while he was trying his best to dry his black hair, making sure that no one catches a glimpse of his face. After taking off her clothes which revealed her swimsuit, Misty looked unto the crowd, seeing a bunch of guys ogling her swimsuit and blowing whistles towards her before she shifted her gazed towards her opponent, raising a brow as she eyed his body.

'For someone so quiet and almost invisible within a crowd, he has a very toned and developed body. Did he really just started his journey? He has to be the son of some hiker or something.' She thought as she looked at Leaf, noticing that she was staring at Red cheering for him with a reddish tint on her face.

'Ooh, I see. He has the body but he's lacking in the looks department. He looks too plain. That face is not getting him anywhere. Well, the amount of his face that I can see. Hmm. What made Leaf so interested in him?' Misty thought before she noticed the teen looking unto the field with a worried expression from what she could see from his mouth as she saw Feebas flopping on one of the platforms with Starmie on another platform beside it.

'We'll leave that theory for another time. Let's continue this battle.' The orange haired girl smiled before she put her hands on her hips and tauntingly said. "Guess all that bravado went to nothing when you're out of your comfort zone, huh?"

Red only gritted his teeth as he watched helplessly as Starmie walking closer to Feebas as Misty commanded it to use Water Pulse. Hearing her order, it started to form a ball of water between its appendages as it roamed closer to the purple fish which started to flop and squirm faster, trying to reach the water.

"Oh! You want water? Well, here's your water right here. Starmie, be a dear!" Starmie then lifted its appendages to the air as the sphere got bigger, much to Red's dismay and worry. "Welp, it was honestly a good match but this is where it ends."

Before anyone could react, Feebas quickly jumped from the ground and hit Starmie which resulted in a huge whacking sound that echoed throughout the gym, surprising everyone as it fell back to the floor. As she was about to tell Starmie to finish the match, she realized the moving of Red's lips before she saw the some of the raindrops stopping as it formed around the purple fish before it created a huge wave of water that knocked both of their Pokemon from the platform and into the water, much to her dismay as she realized the reason for the attack.

"Recover, Starmie." Misty stated. Starmie obeying as it started to glow in an intense light until it was interrupted by a Water Pulse to the gem by Feebas which resulted in a critical hit. The violet star was able to recover however the gym leader started to notice that the Water and Psychic type is starting to move in a wobbly fashion, almost tripping over nothing a couple times.

"Damn it. It's confused…" She muttered with her teeth clenched as she glared towards her opponent, who had a smirk on his face despite his Feebas slight panting. "I need to wipe that ugly mug off his face and finish this quickly."

As she said that, the rain started to slowly subside, much to Red's dismay as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. The spectators are all watching as they seem to forget the participants and are just excited and impatient to see how the battle ends, Leaf being amongst them as she feels nothing but anxiety running through her body. "This is the last stretch. The rain is almost out and both opponents seem to be exhausted…"

The tension was strong in the air as everyone waited before a voice came and ended the session, booming through the gym. "Starmie! Full Power Water Pulse now."

Starmie starts to charge it attack as both Red and Feebas simply waits for the result, staying still and eyeing their opponent with no sign of fear in their eyes which did not go unnoticed by Misty. 'So he's waiting for a counter attack. Too bad for you, I already figured out your Feebas' strengths.'

As the violet star finished the attack, it was about to shoot until the attack exploded, resulted in a variety of waves that knocked the Pokemon from the platform and into the pool, much to Misty's shock as she looked with a dumbfounded expression. "What?! How?!"

Seeing this, Red wasted no time as he looked at this opportunity and mumbled a command to Feebas. "Alright, Feebas. We're gonna have to go all out and Tackle the Starmie with all we got. And don't stop either."

Feebas simply nodded before it lunged at its opponent at full speed, knocking it away with all its strength before returning again for another Tackle. As Starmie endured the onslaught from Feebas, the gym leader tried her best to get it to counterattack which resulted in failure as it would either be interrupted by its opponent or hitting itself in confusion. As the raindrops subsided, Red started to realize that Feebas attacks are becoming less effective and it's started to get slower, much to Misty's joy as she quickly made a command. "Recover now."

Starmie was about to glow in a strong light before it accidentally wobbled and descended in the pool, too exhausted to be able to use the attack. "Damn it! Alright, Water Pulse and Rapid Spin."

Starmie then found enough strength within as it spun around quickly and glowed brightly, making its way towards Feebas at a speedy pace. Before Red could make a command, the purple fish was hit by the attack before the Starfish Pokemon turned around and made its way in its direction again, this time at a slower pace. "Hope you like a taste of your own medicine, Red."

A wide grin started to spread across Misty's face as she watched gleefully as her Pokemon made its way towards its opponent in record timing. As Starmie got within in an inch distance, the gym leader was surprised by the sudden order that was made by her silent opponent. "Stop it with Dragon Breath, Feebas!"

Obeying its trainer's command, the Water type opened its mouth as a sea of purple flames erupted from it, stopping the Starmie immediately which surprised everyone at the sheer power of the move. Not even missing a beat, Red made another command. "Now Feebas. Tackle."

As Feebas thrusts forward towards its opponent, Starmie tries to stop the Pokemon by using Water Pulse which results in a failure as the purple fish outmaneuvers and nimbly dodges the attacks as it continues its pursuit. Leaf clasped her hands as she witnessed the Water type get hit by one of the attacks which made it light headed before it shook its head and resumed.

"Water Pulse to make to make yourself faster." As Red stated this, Feebas' body started to emit a blue hue until a ripple appeared behind it which boosts its speed, making it almost hard to notice when it made its way to Starmie. Focused on the battle, no one noticed the smirk on Misty's face as she giggled quietly. 'It's over now, Red. You fought hard but this decides it. I have you right where I want you.

"Starmie, Psychic." Hearing her voice, Starmie relaxed before it started to discharge a strong burst of psychic energy which distorted the pool, much to the gym leader's delight. As it released more of its power, the shockwave from its discharge pushing back Feebas as it tried to resist the force from the violet starfish's telekinetic strength. "You're fighting a losing battle, Red!"

"Endure it and give it everything you got. Don't give in. Tackle!" Red yelled in determination as he watched the pool started to get more unstable as the ripples started to grow, turning into small waves.

"Why are you even resisting? You know you can't win now. Feebas may be fast and you prove that it can hold its own but even the Pokedex and research shows it, when it comes to brute force and power, almost any Pokemon can beat it. Just face it. You lose." Misty said with a smug look on her face, her hands on her hips as she gleefully watches Red's Pokemon struggle.

The raven haired teen simply stayed quiet as the battle raged on, Feebas trying with all its might to hold on as Starmie simply strengthened the force of its attack which managed to push it back.

'C'mon, Red. C'mon, Feebas. You can do it.' Leaf thought as she clenched her hands together tighter. 'You have to prove her wrong.'

Red simply looked at Misty who flinched in fear as she saw a glint of the teen's crimson orbs. 'What was that? His eyes look like something out of a horror movie.'

"Who decided that, really? A Feebas is weak against a Starmie? Any Pokemon can be strong… if they can be strong in the wild, what is the difference now? If everyone is gonna pull this concept of some Pokemon being strong which came from the silly trends from the League, I'm gonna prove them wrong and show them what truly matters." Red muttered confidently, each word that comes out of his mouth is being stated with annoyance and frustration before he stretched his hand. "Feebas… we're gonna show them that not everything is set in stone because of the League."

Misty simply stepped back, catching another glimpse of her opponent's eyes which struck fear in her conscience.

"Full force Tackle now! Put everything you got into it!" Feebas smiled proudly, nodding as it begins to glow much brighter, slowly pushing through the telekinetic force and getting to Starmie.

Both Pokemon competed against each other, none of them willing to back down until the violet starfish started to lose power, exhaustion taking its toll despite its best efforts. As Starmie's power weaken to the point of almost nothing, Red's Pokemon came like a bullet, crashing into it and sending it onto the floor of the pool, creating a slight dent.

"Wha…" Misty could only word out of her mouth, looking throughout the pool before she sees Starmie appears at the surface of the water, floating stagnantly and showing no signs of movement. The referee then checked on the combatants, making a final nod upon returning to his post and made his announcement which immediately causes the audience to listen intently upon hearing the results.

"The final match is finished. After a powerful bout…Starmie is unable to continue which makes Feebas the winner and thus…the victory of this gym battle goes to Red Fires! From Pallet Town!"

For a moment, everyone in the stadium went silent before a loud voice cheered for Red as it got closer and closer to the field.

"RED! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!" Leaf shouted in excitement, making him glad that his hair was long enough to hide his blush. Before he could turn around, the raven haired teen was tackled into a hug, almost making him and the brunette fall into the pool if not for his quick thinking when he quickly regains his balance.

Walking past them with a scowl on her face, Misty simply walked into another room which did not go unnoticed as the referee announced a short break. After the announcement was made, everyone went their own path and ways while speaking about the match between Red and Misty, leaving only the two teens in the stadium along with a few spectators who grouped up with their friends.

"Umm… Leaf…you can let me go now…" Red muttered. He then notices the last group of people exiting the gym which leaves the both of them inside the building accompanied by silence. Leaf put a finger on her chin, thinking about it for a moment before shaking her head, saying. "Nah! Plus, you're gonna need the warmth anyways."

The raven haired teen then tries to pry her off which proves to be nearly impossible as she tightens her grip on him, making sure that he is unable to free himself. After various failed attempts along with the brunette's taunts and giggling, Red sighed annoyingly as he accepted his fate, making his way to the pool to both congratulate and return Feebas into his ball before walking out of the area with Leaf latched onto him. As they walked throughout the city, they went to the Pokemon Center to heal Red's Pokemon and retrieve his injured Luxio who was back at full health when it rushed him to the ground, nuzzling him. "Well, look who's bright and chipper."

The Electric type stopped as the raven haired teen patted it, a smile on his face as he muttered with relief in his tone. "I'm glad you're alright, pal. Thanks for helping me."

As they left the center and made their way through the middle of the town, the duo decided on getting some food before Leaf's match with Misty starts. After a few minutes of walking around, they find a food stand that sells a variety of foods, immediately getting Leaf's attention when she dragged Red towards it. Waiting in a line, they both checked the menu before a sound of rumbling could be heard, confusing the raven haired teen as he looked towards his red faced companion who laughed and said. "R-Red, I know that you're hungry b-but try to control yourself, ok?"

Red glances at her in confusion and then shakes his head before she stutters. "C-c'mon, Red. You don't have to lie to me. It's alright. It's a natural reaction."

About to protest, he hears giggling behind him, turning around to see the other people in the line trying their best to hold in their laughter, some failing in the process. Realizing what she is doing, Red glances at Leaf, seeing her looking away and whistling as she refuse to make eye contact with him. 'That was definitely her stomach.'

As they made their orders, they both sit together, Leaf continues to hug Red which is making the boy uncomfortable as he fiddles with his Pokegear, causing a sound to go off in the brunette's bag as she fished for the bag and looked at the message.

_"__Leaf, seriously. You can let me go now. I'm warm."_

Leaf smiled at the message as she embraced him, her grip getting stronger as she looked at him with a pouty face saying. "What's wrong, Red? You don't like me?"

_"__I-I didn't say that. I just don't want you to be wet." _

The brunette giggled as she saw the text before she looked back at her companion, moving the hair from his face to reveal his crimson eyes. After a moment of eye contact, her cheeks started to get pink as she got closer to the teen with their faces inches apart. 'Those eyes are gonna be the death of me.'

As Red made another message which created another beeping on her Pokegear, she ignored the sound as she touched noses with him and started playing with his hair, a thought going through his mind as a pink line went across his face. 'I'm pretty sure that we're in a world where personal space still has a definition and worth, correct? So why does she keep respecting everyone's except mine?'

As he desperately and quickly made another message, Leaf once again ignored the text notification, giggling as she rubbed her nose and touched her forehead with the raven haired teen before whispering. "I'm not looking at the text messages. If you want to say something, say it to me right here and now, Red."

Red sighed nervously before he tried to speak, most of his speech coming out in stutters. "C-can you give m-me some space p-please?"

"No." Leaf said bluntly as she continued to play with the teen, blissfully ignoring the looks and glances that she's receiving as she does so. After a few minutes of teasing, they finally got their food, much to Red's joy as the brunette leaves him alone to attend to her meal. He then took a glance at her as he send a message to her which surprised her as she opened the Pokegear and read it.

_"__Are you ready?"_

After reading the message, the brunette's eyes soften as she started playing with her food as she chuckled lightly and said. "I…I wish I could say I am but…"

As she paused, she lifted her gaze at Red before lowering it down to her food, once again playing with it. After she took a couple bites, she sighed as she turned her gaze back to her raven haired companion and spoke. "I lost to her so many times, I honestly believe I'd lost to her again. Kinda got used to it after the third time that I lost to her…I'm trying to think if I can still win…"

As she said this, she felt a hand on her shoulder, her eyes turning towards Red who had a sorrowful look on his face. She then turned as she thought about what she had went through on her journey so far as she trembled, spilling her thoughts. "I…I was honestly thinking about giving up. Nothing worked against her. Everything failed. Status ailments, overpowering her, playing defense. Nothing. All my friends have gotten the badge and left me…I'm stuck here, wandering and training for nothing."

As she paused, tears slowly exited her eyes as she leaned towards Red, trying her best to keep her composure as the teen simply gave her a comforting embrace. As she calmed down, she then returned to eating a bite of her food as she held her male companion's hand, her strong grip surprising him.

"I know I'm supposed to be strong but it's so damn frustrating. Day in and day out and the match barely changes… When I saw you coming here, I thought since your company helped me through the first gym, you would be able to make a difference this time for me... Maybe I'll be able to find out what I'm missing. Before I knew it, all my depression simply left as I spoke back to Misty the other day…" She paused as she leaned back on Red, making herself comfortable as she continued. "…that was the first time I have ever spoke back to her since our second match…I lost nine times, Red. Nine. Times…I can't believe this…"

Hearing this, Red felt bad for her, understanding the feeling that she went through. After his loss against Brock, he felt devastated, crushed like everything he went through was not enough. She helped him through his depressed state and this time, he was going to return the favor.

"I'm gonna talk with Misty after this. I'm sorry that you lost your necklace because of this...I'm not gonna make you lose your journey because of me." As she said this, Red held her up and looked her dead in the eye as he took a deep breath and said. "Leaf…I'm gonna be with you through this…don't worry…we went through so much training in the last few days and you're stronger than you think you are. Just…believe in yourself."

Hearing the teen's words caused some encouragement to seep into her conscience before the felt a strong grip on her hand, turning to see him looking at her with a smile on his face. 'One of these days, I should tell him that his smile does not make my confidence rises but my heart rate instead.'

"Tell you what, if you win. I'll get you…whatever you like. Favorite ice cream…or anything like that?" Red proposed. Hearing this made Leaf smiled deviously as she looked at him, eyeing him up and down before she simply said. "I'll think about it."

While they both enjoyed themselves and ate their lunch, they looked at the time realizing that Leaf's match started in half an hour before they finished and started to make their way back to the gym, much to her dismay as she pouted the whole way.

"I wanted to spend more time before we get to my match. Darn. Where's Dialga when you need it?" She whined quietly. She then hears Red laughing, causing her to pout harder before she punches him on the arm. "Not funny…"

Both of them starts laughing until they reached the entrance of the gym. Red was about to enter when he felt someone grip his hand, making him turn to Leaf who looked at the ground as she starts kicking the dirt. She then sighs, looking at him with a smile and a more determined expression which cause a small curve on his lips when he saw it as his thoughts started to appear. 'Good. She's feeling better now.'

"Thanks, Red. For every-" The brunette was interrupted as Red pushed her in the gym. She then turned to look at him in confusion as he simply smiled at her.

"Save it…the thanks for when you beat her…that way it will feel more rewarding to yourself…" Red mutters as he resumes pushing her to the preparation room, waving to her before going to the spectators' seat with Clefairy on his head. As Leaf waited for the announcer to introduce her, she calmed herself as she went into her bag and took out a black piece of cloth. "Well, here goes nothing."

"Welcome again, everyone! Hope that you enjoy the first match as it was a doozy and a half. It's gonna definitely be a match to remember however let's get to the second gym match for today between our one and only Misty!" The referee announced as Misty came back to the stage with a face that Red could instantly tell had hidden rage in it, waving at the crowd who cheered loudly for her. Realizing something was missing, he checked in his bag and looked around for something as he heard the announcer stated the other participant. "And her next opponent will be a girl who had a heart of gold and a determination as strong as an Aggron. Give it up for the girl from Viridian City, Leaf Green!"

As Leaf came to the stage, Red turned to Luxio who released itself from its ball and asked it. "Hey, Lux. You see where my cap and jacket went. Oh no. Even my extra pair of gloves is gone."

Luxio simply pointed down at the stadium, the raven haired teen's eyes followed as he saw the brunette with his extra pair of gloves where her own used to be and wearing his jacket and cap as she went to her platform. Some of the spectators started chuckling while others, mostly the girls, squealed in excitement. Red simply places his hand on his face, shaking his head as both females stand confidently, awaiting the referee's next announcement. "Well, the tension is strong. And both girls seem to be ready. So the second gym battle of the day and the final battle to the Cerulean bet challenge is about to begin. Do both of you have anything to say?"

"Well, Leaf. Never thought that you'd want to fight me again with all the losses you had. Heh! I'm surprised you're able to stand in front of me confidently. Is it because of that boy? Is that why you have on his gloves and jacket? Man… all I gotta say is that is pathetic. To literally use clothes as a way to encourage yourself. That is seriously pathetic." Misty taunted as she started to laugh, some of the words she used stab Leaf before the brunette used Red's cap to hide her face from the gym leader who continued. "I'm gonna have to show you again what true skill is. After this, you're going to be a good little girl and go home instead of trying to play Champion with the big dogs."

Hearing this cause Leaf to tremble and panic, her face showing an expression between anger and hurt which did not go unnoticed by Red when he took out his Pokegear. Trying to calm herself, she heard a beeping sound from her bag, taking out her Pokegear as she saw an incoming message to which she opened it and read it.

_"__Kick her butt. I'll be rooting for you."_ Leaf smiled as she saw the message, putting it back in her bag as she was able to calm down before readying her Pokeball as the last words of the referee echoed through the gym.

"LET THE MATCH BEGIN!"

**Hey guys. Hope you guys are taking care of yourselves in this time that we're living in. Also, I made Misty a little important as a homage to the anime and finally Leaf gets her battle next chapter. Well, hope the fight between Feebas and Starmie was not too long, I tried my best to make it as short as possible however I think the battle between Leaf and Misty might be shorter or…longer. Sorry this took longer than it should to be out, was kinda having somewhat of a writer's block when doing this but don't worry. Thanks for the reviews and for taking your time to read my story and please tell me your thoughts about it so far. Keep safe and healthy, guys. Enigma out!**


	25. Chapter 24: Leaf vs Misty

The entire gym was filled with silence as tension rose between both Misty and Leaf when the referee announced for the match to begin. After hearing the announcement was made, both trainers threw their Pokeballs which revealed a Wingull and a Buneary who appeared on the field. The Pokemon took their battle stances while the crowd started to pick up in volume as they cheered for the person that they wanted to win. Leaf takes a deep breath before she turns her gaze to Red who gives her a smile and a thumbs up, encouraging a smile from her when she turns to Misty, fixing the brim of the cap on her head with a confident expression. As her patience took its toll, Misty made the first move. "Wingull, use Water Pulse."

As the Flying type starts to charge the attack, Leaf waits with a smile on her face while Buneary looks at its trainer with worry and panic etched on its face. As it is about to shoot the attack, the brunette made a command before the brown rabbit vanishes in a flash before reappearing in front of Wingull, much to it and the gym leader's surprise. Before Misty or her Pokemon could do anything, Buneary slams both its ears together which creates a shockwave that sends Wingull flying backwards along with making its Water Pulse hit it as it fell into the water.

"What the?! That's new." Misty shouted in disbelief, her hands holding onto her hair. Her Pokemon gets out of the water and ascends into the air, flapping its wings and making a battle cry as it awaits its trainer's next command. The orange haired gym leader growls in frustration until she notices the smirk on Leaf's face, angering her more when she sees the cap covering her eyes which reminds her of her previous loss.

"Don't get too cocky over a lucky hit. Twister, Wingull. Now!" Misty stated with a hint of anger and annoyance in her tone. Obeying its trainer's command, the Flying type sends out a massive tornado towards Buneary who is able to barely to hop out of the way of the attack. Just as the brown bunny lands on another platform, the orange haired girl quickly made another command. "Twister again, Wingull."

"Dodge it, Buneary." Wingull creates another Twister which Buneary evades again before another, the action annoying the gym leader when she voices her next move. "Tch! Now Air Cutter, Wingull."

The seagull's wings starts glowing before shooting multiple blades of blue energy that travels through the field towards its opponent, the move increasing in speed due to it using another Twister. Leaf could only watch the attack as it made its way towards her Pokemon, trying to shield her eyes from the shockwave of the move combination.

'Could she chill out with the combos for a minute? Jeez.' She mentally complained. She was barely able to get a glimpse of the attack on the field before she exclaims her next order. "Buneary, use Foresight to dodge and if any attack comes close, knock it away with Double Hit!"

Hearing its trainer, Buneary's eyes begins glowing before it looks at the attack, able to see the directions that it will go as it starts to hop in excitement while it waits for the move to come closer. The moment the blades get close, the brown rabbit nimbly avoids them while moving from platform to platform and knocking away the ones that are unable to be evaded, much to Leaf's delight as she cheers it on. "Good job, Buneary. Keep it up."

Her celebration was short lived when within the midst of the assault, Wingull managed to appear in front of Buneary, surprising it and the brunette as she saw the smirk on Misty's face. "Now I got you right where I want you. Supersonic."

"Get into the water quick." Leaf thought fast. Obeying, her Pokemon moves just as Wingull is about to release the move and dives into the water to avoid the sound wave as it echoes throughout the whole stadium. Happy to avoid what could be a huge problem, a smile appears on the brown haired girl's face as she looks at Misty's direction. 'How do you like…'

She pauses as she watches the gym leader in disbelief, seeing a smile where she expects a scowl is supposed to be as her mind barely finishes its mental comment. '…that?'

"You haven't changed one bit, Leaf. Haven't you learnt anything from our previous matches?" Misty said as her smile broadens. Hearing her question, Leaf was confused, immediately knowing the answer until she was interrupted by the gym leader again when she holds a single finger.

"One: Never underestimate a gym leader no matter how much you outclassed them. Two: A battle isn't over till it's over." Listening, Leaf raises a brow in confusion, understanding what her opponent is saying until the orange haired girl put down her hand and laugh before continuing. "And three: the pool is **my** domain."

As the comment was made, Leaf's eyes widened when Red muttered one word which stated what both of them were thinking at that moment. "Crap."

"Twister into the pool now, Wingull." The gym leader stated with a devilish smirk on her face. Wingull flies over to where Buneary previously landed, flapping its wings faster until a tornado was created which took up the water from the pool with it along with the Normal type into the air.

"Damn it." Leaf said, lowering the brim of the hat as she clicked her teeth in annoyance.

The attack resumes, taking almost half of the pool within in along with Buneary who tries to flail around and escape but to no avail. Witnessing the battle, Red begins to tap his foot, his expression slowly etching to that of worry as he watches the massive tornado get increase in power before looking at Leaf who is slowly starting to panic. 'C'mon, Leaf. Just keep calm. We trained for this. You can do it.'

Calming herself down, Leaf accesses the situation while observing the stage, seeing Buneary trapped in the Twister and Wingull prolonging the move. The brunette then had a thought as she remembers something from Red's battle against Misty. 'Red had this issue before but he made Shinx endure the attack until Wingull became tired…'

She looks onto the battlefield, seeing the same events playing again when she made a groan.

'Buneary can't last that long. So what can I do?' She thought, racking her brains for answers in panic until something came up to her mind. 'I got it!'

Now having a plan, she looks at her Pokemon being spun around by the attack before she projected her voice. "Buneary, keep calm and get ready!"

Buneary's eyes widened in panic before it saw the look of composure on its trainer's face, calming down as it tries its best to level itself in the air, awaiting the next command. As the brown rabbit was taken to the outer section of the tornado, she then shouted her next order. "Fake out, now!"

Hearing the command, the Pokemon obeys as it slams its ears together, using the shockwave of the move along with the air pressure of the tornado to escape the twister and launch itself towards Wingull at an accelerating speed before the brunette made another command. "Great! Now Thunder Punch!"

Before Misty or Wingull could react, one of Buneary's ears starts crackling with electricity until it punches its opponent which instantly send the seagull into the water before it lands gracefully on one of the platform. In disbelief, the gym leader scowls before she calls for her Pokemon in a concerned tone while waiting along with everyone for its response until they notice something coming to the surface.

"Hmm. Nice job, Wingu-" Misty paused when she saw the Flying type come to the surface before she noticed that it was unconscious. She stares at her Wingull with a stunned expression while Leaf celebrates along with everyone when they hear the results of the battle from the referee who stated it was the brunette's victory. She hugs Buneary and twirls around before turning to Red, giving him a peace sign which he exchanges with a thumbs, both smiling along with a giggle from Leaf when she notices some of the guys in the crowd giving the raven haired teen glares of envy. When she turned around, she notices a vein starting to project itself on Misty forehead while the woman is returning her Pokemon, trying her best to hide it behind a smile which is showing signs of failure. Hardening her expression as she takes out her Pokeball, trying to return Buneary who dodges the red beam, stating that it wants to fight more until it becomes fatigued and falls onto the floor, having to reluctantly agreeing in the end with its trainer's decision.

Getting another capsule ready, her thoughts starts to project itself from her mouth. "One down. But…it's only going to get more difficult from here."

As the referee made his announcement for the second battle to start, both of them readied their capsules before they throw them into the air simultaneously. "Go Roselia/ Quagsire."

As the devices release their respective Pokemon on the field, tension starts to rise as comments are exchanged throughout the crowd about the previous match.

"Woah. Gotta admit, the chick's doing better than the previous times. She actually knocked out the first Pokemon without having to switch and lose one of her own."

"Yeah! That's some next level improvement!"

"Doesn't matter. She's still getting wrecked. Just continue watch."

"It's a mantra at this point. Just give it a minute."

"Stop being so salty, man. But you might be right."

Hearing the comments gave Leaf mixed feelings, trying her best to stay confident and adjust the cap on her head to hide her face until she hears a command from Misty which surprises her, snapping her out of her trance. "Ice Punch now, Quagsire!"

The brunette then sees Quagsire rushing towards her Pokemon with its hand glowing blue before she made her own command, not missing a beat. "Stun Spore, now!"

Roselia responds quickly as it raises its flower like limbs and releases a yellow cloud of powder from them which spreads and travels across the field. Thinking fast, Misty commands her Pokemon to swim in order to avoid the powder which it does, staying underwater and waiting for orders. Seeing that the spores spread cover the field, the gym leader made another command out of annoyance. "Acid Spray to remove the spores, Quagsire."

The Water type ejects poison from its mouth which burns the spores, creating an opening before both the Pokemon and its trainer notice the Grass type having a glowing on the platform. Recognizing what her opponent instantly, Misty clicks her teeth in annoyance before she hurriedly shouts to her partner. "Quagsire, stop Roselia quick! Use Mud Bomb!"

Obeying, the Water type inhales before releasing a flurry of mud balls at Roselia which it dodges the projectiles in a rhythmic fashion. Misty growls as she saw the Grass type dancing with a carefree attitude while avoided another barrage of Mud Bomb before voicing a next command. "Alright, you wanna play like that? Use Ice Sphere, Quagsire. And follow it up with some Mud Bomb."

Confusion took Red when he sees Leaf expression contorts to an annoyed one while they watch Quagsire charge a Water Pulse before using Ice Punch on the orb, freezing it and then hurling it towards Roselia. The Thorn Pokemon easily evades the attack along with multiple other mud balls, swaying and having fun while moving from platform to platform. Recognizing the state of the platform that her Grass type is on, Leaf commands for her partner to jump to another podium which it does.

"Use Magical Leaf to fend off the projectiles." The brunette continued. Hearing its trainer, Roselia dances until various leaves of different color shoots from its hands, knocking away and obliterating every projectile that Quagsire throws at it. Clenching her fists, Misty starts to get annoyed when her Pokemon use Ice Punch only for the attack to be avoided effortlessly by its opponent.

"Good job, Roselia. Now Poison Sting." Unable to land a move on the Grass type, Quagsire notices that the Pokemon's flowers started to glow purple before thorns extrude from them as it takes a boxer's stance. Once again trying to land a hit with Ice Punch, the Water fish was rewarded with failure when Roselia dodges the attack before landing two hits from its Poison Sting on it which knocks it over to the other side of the platform. Going for another chance to hit the Grass type, it was unable to land a hit as the flower simply sidesteps before throwing a flurry of strikes at the Water type and then scoring an uppercut which sends it flying into the pool, making a bow which receives an applause from some of the people in the crowd along with Leaf. 'Nice. The training it had with Clefairy and Beedrill worked after all. She's like a dancing boxer.'

'I always hated that Roselia. It's always such a huge problem. And what makes it worse is that carefree attitude it has. If it wasn't for Starmie, that Pokemon would've beaten me. But somehow she manages to make it more of a headache.' Misty mentally complains while witnessing her Pokemon once again getting knocked around again by the Grass type before it receives a hit that once again sends it back into the water.

"Mud Bomb and Acid Spray now." She commanded with an angered tone. Quagsire follows as it shoots both moves, coating the mud balls in acid when they're falling towards Roselia.

"Growth as much as you can and then Magical Leaf at my signal." Leaf said, adjusting Red's gloves on her hands. The Thorn Pokemon glows while the projectiles get close, much to the confusion of the crowd as they watch the situation unfold.

'Well, this match is as good as mine.' The gym leader thought, the smile on her face getting wider. She then shakes her head, her glance going throughout the crowd before she notices a smirk on Red's face in the crowd which made her skeptical before she hears a command from her opponent. "Now, Roselia!"

The Grass type stops glowing before it twirls around and shoot Magical Leaf which are able to block most of the projectiles, some of the mud balls hitting it which hardly does any damage. Knocking the attacks out of the way, Roselia turns its attention towards Quagsire, aiming its leaves at the Water type who quickly dives into the pool to avoid the barrage.

"Stay in the water and use Mud Bomb and Acid Spray." As Misty said this, the Water Fish Pokemon pops out of the water before it quickly spits a stream of acid which the Grass type dodges. Spinning around, Roselia then aims its flowers to where the attack is but it sees nothing, much to its confusion. The Water type then appears again in a different spot, shooting mud balls before dipping to evade another Magical Leaf attack. Witnessing the failures cause Roselia to get slightly frustrated, ready to lash out until Leaf voices a command. "Wait, Roselia!"

The Thorn Pokemon stops, looking at its trainer in confusion when they exchange looks, the brunette then calmly saying. "Just wait for the right moment."

The Grass type nods and waits along with its trainer while Quagsire pops from the water at different locations, shooting Mud Bomb and Acid Spray which it dodges. After a moment of observing, Leaf notices a certain pattern with the water fish's attacks, a smile appearing on her face before it appears and disappears once more when she shouts an order to her command. "Roselia, to your left. Magical Leaf."

The Pokemon obeys, immediately attacking in that direction when Quagsire pops out of the water, coming face to face with Magical Leaf which it is unable to dodge the attack.

"No Quagsire!" Misty said in concern as the leaves pelts the Pokemon before dispersing, showing an unconscious Quagsire floating in the pool. As Leaf celebrates along with her Pokemon, the gym leader returns the Water type with her teeth clenched while readying her other Pokeball which is a Dive Ball. As she has done so, mentally spouting curses that she is using all the self-control that she has to not make them physically exit her mouth.

"Go, Starmie! Let's end this now!" She exclaimed, a tone of anger being present in her voice despite her trying to hide it. The violet starfish appears on the field, getting into a battle stance as it faces Roselia on the field. Leaf prepares herself as she holds onto the brim of the red cap, trying her best to inhale and exhale and not get excited. Words could express how she feels, having Misty to her final Pokemon while she still has all of hers. Her gaze lowers to the floor, her expression showing that of disbelief as she looks towards Red who silently cheers her on before she mentally mutters a phrase.

'It was all because of you.'

It was all because of him. The black haired, red eyed boy she came across by accident in Viridian forest and used as an excuse to escape two guys hitting on her. He did not need to help her. He did not need to be her friend but he did it anyways. She then giggles before she was taken out of her trance when she hears Misty starts to speak, getting her attention.

"Heh! Gotta say, Leaf. You've done way better in this battle than you did before. This is honestly the first time that you got me to Starmie so quickly. Aaand you haven't lost your whole team as of yet. Bravo!" The gym leader said, clapping her hands before she stops.

"But…" As she paused, Leaf looked at her skeptically before she continued in a low tone.

"This is the end of the line."

As the words left the gym leader's mouth, the brunette felt discouraged when she remembers what Blue told before going to the next city.

_"Can't believe you're still struggling with the second gym, that's utterly pathetic. Maybe you're not cut out to be a Pokemon trainer." _

She then lost her confidence at the moment that the referee is about to announce the next match, her arms slumped before she got a text from Red.

_'Don't give up.'_

Seeing the words that he texted her on the Pokegear brings a smile on her face. She then turns to him as he gives her a thumbs up, remembering what he told her during their training.

The sun starts to fully descend which causes the sky to be covered with stars as both Red and Leaf rest by a tree after they finished their day of training. Gaining some of his energy, the red capped teen stands up before getting himself ready and is about to head towards Cerulean City until he notices that his companion still slumped by the tree.

"Hey…you alright there?" Red asked as he crouched on one knee and put a hand on the brunette's shoulder. He breathes a sigh of relief when he feels her forehead, recognizing that her temperature is normal before waiting for her answer. Leaf resumes her silent routine which bothers him when he starts to worry, shaking her slightly for a desire of a response.

"It's ok, Red. I'm fine." The brunette said, putting her hand on Red's as she tried to sit upright. She then pauses once more before continuing. "I'm just more tired than I thought."

The boy lets out a sigh of relief before noticing the depressed look on the girl's face, making him sit down in front of her as he looks in her eyes. He then snaps his fingers in front of her which gains her attention before she sees the worry in his eyes.

"Sorry…I'm just thinking. Will I be able to beat Misty? What if…what if I lose the battle and we're unable to get our necklaces, what are we going to do?" Leaf asked, biting her lips and her body shaking as she voices her question.

"We train more and then try again." The straight and quick answer from Red surprised her, making her speechless as she stares at him. The brunette drops her gaze to the grass, remembering what had took place before with her friends as her thoughts starts to arise. 'Everyone left. Blue said I'm pathetic. Yellow went with Blue and even Kimberley left. I'm the only one left. I'm stuck here. They didn't even help me train…but you…'

"But…what if we lose…again?" Leaf asked desperately, hoping that the answer is not as she predicted.

Red then puts a hand on his chin, pretending to think about the decision until he looks over to the brunette, seeing the depressed look on her face. He was no stranger to that feeling, knowing how it feels, the helplessness, the frustration. Like everything that you have went through and endured before was all for naught. However when his mind descended in the darkness called depression, she held out a hand and helped him. He owed her a favor for what she has done for him before. His loss against Brock made him devastated especially with the string of events that led up to that moment, simply giving him more stress. She was there for him to comfort him after his defeat from Brock back at Pewter City. If it was not for her cheering him up, he might have given up on his journey. She helped him before when he was depressed.

And Red is willing to return the favor and help her now. It is the least he can do for what she's done for him.

He then pats her shoulder which made her look at him when he said. "We try again. I'll stay with you until you win."

Hearing those words is what Leaf needed as she holds back her tears and starts trembling when she looks on the floor which made Red worried before he asks. "Are…you ok?"

'That's all…I need.' She thought, wiping the tears that threatening to fall from her face.

The brunette's smile transforms into a smirk as she holds out her hands, waiting before she notices the look of confusion on her companion face which made her roll her eyes. Before Red could say anythinh=g, she beats him to the punch as she requested. "Can you…give me a piggy back ride? My legs are still in pain."

The red capped teen lets out a breath and smiles before he turns around and positions himself, motioning for her to get on. Surprised by the gesture, a pink line appears across Leaf's face as she is suddenly glad that it was night time and he could not see her face. She then put her arms around Red before he lifts her up and carries her to the Pokemon Center. Along the way, she starts to make herself comfortable by leaning her face against his shoulder, watching the features on his face and playing with his hair while she reminisces all the events she had on this journey which brings a huge smile on her face when her mind stated one thing.

'Thank you, Red.'

As the memory finished playing, Leaf felt calm as bow down and took some of the water from the pool to splash her face with before slapping her cheeks together. After drying her face, she opened her eyes which showing a look of determination that did not go unnoticed by Misty. 'She calm herself down. She's more confident now. This isn't good.'

Watching the battle and seeing the brunette calm and looking more determined, Red starts smiling as his mouth states. "Here's where the real battle starts."

"Rapid Spin." Hearing its trainer's command, Starmie quickly rotates its body as it travels through the field towards Roselia who braces itself for the attack.

"Stun Spore now!" Leaf exclaimed. The Grass type lifts its arms and releases its Stun Spore move which made its way towards its opponent. Seeing the attack, Misty looks in worry before she was able to get an idea. 'You're not gonna get me with that again.'

"Use Psychic to stop yourself and retreat." Due to her command, it stops using its psychic powersue aura before and starts retreating from the yellow mist. As it did, they both notice that the Thorn Pokemon is glowing which causes the orange haired girl to worry when she realized what her opponent is trying to do. "Water Pulse, Starmie."

"Magical Leaf."

When both trainers made their commands, their Pokemon follow as they use their respective moves, the result being an explosion that made them have to shield their eyes. The moment that Misty opens her eyes, she instantly the notices that more leaves are coming towards Starmie as she quickly spits her counterattack. "Dodge the attack and then Psychic."

The violet starfish dodges the leaves as it prepares to use Psychic only to stop as Roselia redirects the multicolored leaves back which it has to evade again, much to the gym leader's annoyance. Having enough, the orange haired girl made the Water type stop the attack with its psychic powers before turning her sights on her opponent. She commands for another Psychic which is about to hit before Leaf comes up with an idea. 'Wait! It can't use Psychic if it isn't able to concentrate. Wonder if it works this way as well…'

"Quick Roselia. Hide yourself using Stun Spore." She commands, checking to see if her theory would work.

Hearing the brunette's command, Roselia starts twirling as the powder from its flowers cover it, shrouding itself in a yellow mist of paralyzing spores. Leaf watches as her opponent cannot use its move due to not being unable to pinpoint the Grass type's location, a smile coming across her face. 'Guess I'm right after all. Now…'

Before anyone could notice, various multicolored leaves pop out of the mist and secure a hit on Starmie, knocking it from the platform and into the water.

"Damn it! Use Rapid Spin and use Water Pulse to get faster." Misty stated with an annoyed tone. Her Pokemon nods as it rotates, it's speed increasing due to using Water Pulse as it flies across the field in almost no time, much to Leaf's annoyance. "Again with the combos. Could you give it a rest?"

"What's wrong? Can't handle the heat? Need Mommy to hold your hand?" The gym leader taunted, receiving a growl from her opponent.

"Grr… Dodge the attack, Roselia." The brunette said, her Pokemon dodging the move effortlessly before it starts to sway its body. The violet starfish uses its psychic powers to redirect itself, once again attacking its opponent who is able to avoid the attack while dancing happily. Repeating the same formula, Starmie tries attacking again only for Misty and Red to recognize that this time, it is slower than it originally was.

"What the? Starmie, are you ok? You shouldn't be tired already." The gym leader said in confusion before she continued with a command, not noticing the smile on Leaf's face. "Use Recover now."

Leaf watches as the starfish sluggishly itself, saying another command to not allow it the time to finish. "Magical Leaf now."

Roselia obeys when it dances as it uses its move, multiple leaves surrounding it before they spread around Starmie, each going towards it direction. Due to Misty's command, it jumps into the water to avoid the attack to fend off the incoming attacks. Seeing this, Leaf thought quickly as she lets her Pokemon let the leaves hover over the spot that their opponent previously dived at. Realizing the state of the situation, the gym leader bites her lip when she notices Roselia glowing again as she tries to rack her brain to find a way to stop her opponent.

"Starmie, stop everything with Psychic." She said, her emotion into her command. Hearing the order, Starmie emerges from the water when it lets out a force field of psychokinetic energy which stopped all the leaves and the spore coming towards it. It then started to fly itself towards Roselia, readying itself to use Psychic on the Grass type.

"Stop using Growth and surround yourself with Stun Spore." The Thorn Pokemon once again surrounds itself with Stun Spore, making it hard for Starmie to attack it before Misty exclaims. "Now use Psychic to blow away the Stun Spore."

On command, the Water type starts glowing before it creates a massive shockwave that blows away the Stun Spore which leaves Roselia exposed, much to Misty's delight. Without a second thought, the violet starfish levitates the Grass type into the air, quickly slamming into a wall before letting it quickly descend to the floor. Seeing her Pokemon quickly falling due to Starmie's telekinetic abilities, she gets an idea before she yells a command. "Use Magical Leaf and Stun Spore to slow yourself down."

Listening to its trainer, Roselia aims its flowers at the ground, shooting its spores and leaves which managed to make it decelerate as it made its way to the pool. It then positions itself, making it able to fall towards the direction of a platform as it spins around before it is able to land softly before making a bow, causing everyone in the crowd to cheer it on.

"Not gonna lie. That Roselia is awesome."

"I agree with you. It's holding its own despite the type disadvantage."

"Give the trainer some props as well. She's a quick thinker."

"C'mon, Leaf. You can do this." Red muttered, looking at the fight when he noticed Starmie's condition. 'Wait. Is it…'

"Rapid Spin and use Psychic to make yourself faster." As Misty said this, Starmie lunges forward, darting across the field as it goes towards Roselia. The Thorn Pokemon quickly goes on the defense, barely able to dodge and block its opponent's attacks along with using Poison Sting and Magical Leaf to fend off and counter its quick movements. After a few clashes, Starmie was then commanded to use Water Pulse, shooting the move only for it to be stopped by Magical Leaf which overpowers the move and secures a hit on the Water type, much to Leaf's glee. It was however short lived as Starmie lets out a powerful telekinetic wave, knocking Roselia back before levitating the Thorn Pokemon and slamming it onto the ground. Not missing a beat from Misty's commands, it then summons a tornado of water of water which engulfs the Grass type, knocking it unconscious as it lays on the platform, showing no signs of movement.

"Roselia!" Leaf shouts in a worried tone. After the referee announced the end of the match, she ran onto the field and picked up the Grass type before going back to her side of the field while cradling the Pokemon.

"Are you alright?" She asked, getting a weak nod as a response before she returned it into its Pokeball. With confidence present in her eyes, she readies another Pokeball and throws it into the air which releases Wartortle on the field who roars loudly to show its determination before facing its foe. As the referee announced the beginning of the match, both trainers yelled a command at the top of their lungs. "Water Pulse!"

Both Water type obeyed as they charged their attacks, both releasing their attacks which resulted in a clash that created a huge wave in the pool, almost knocking both Pokemon into the water. Misty made another command before Starmie starts glowing, targeting Wartortle who dives into the pool in order to avoid the attack which ruined its concentration.

"Use Water Tornado." Leaf said, interrupting the gym leader. Before anyone could react, they were all caught off guard by a water tornado that emerged from the pool, engulfing Starmie and sending it flying into the air as it is trapped within the attack, much to Misty's annoyance.

"Take yourself out of there with Psychic." Hearing this, Starmie sends out a wave of psychic energy which disperses the water tornado before it barely notices Watortle speedily coming towards it, baring its fangs, ready to use the move Bite. The moment that the turtle got close, it was stuck in midair just inches away from Starmie when it was held in place due to Psychic. Before Leaf could voice a command, her starter was sent into the water by its opponent, much to her worry.

"Water Pulse and then Bite." She said with defiance. Before anyone could notice, Watortle emerges from the pool, using Water Pulse to thrust itself towards its opponent, slamming itself on Starmie which cause the Pokemon to stagger and almost fall. The blue turtle then bit the starfish, holding it in place before using Rapid Spin, rotating itself until it slams its opponent on the floor.

"Damn it! Water Tornado." Misty said. Starmie obeys, it creates another water tornado before they both hear Leaf yell a counterattack. "Counter it with your Water Tornado."

As she said this, Wartortle creates its own water tornado which causes both attacks to clash, much to the gym leader's surprise. The clash continued before Starmie starts to overpower Wartortle, sending it flying to one of the platform before Misty made another command with the desire to not let her opponent be able to recover. "Starmie, use Water Pulse."

Obeying its trainer's command, the violet starfish throws an orb of water which speedily collided into its opponent.

"Watortle, are you ok?" The brunette asked, receiving a shaky nod from her starter which reassured her. Looking towards her opponent, she outstretched her arm as she voiced her move. "Wartortle use Water Pulse."

Obeying its trainer's command, the turtle charges out a sphere of water only for it to suddenly feel dizzy, making it to trip and accidentally release the attack which explodes into a wave that knocks it in, much to Leaf's bewilderment. Red raises a brow in confusion as he looks at Wartortle while it climbs back to the platform before he gasped, realizing what is wrong with the Water type. 'Oh no! It's confused.'

"Rapid Spin now." Leaf said desperately only to be rewarded with failure as Wartortle fails again to use the move, hurting itself when it trips and collides onto the platform. Clicking her tongue in frustration, she returns her starter, not wanting it to cause any more damage to itself while she swaps to her next capsule. She then readies her Great Ball, throwing it and releasing Buneary who lands on a platform in a battle stance.

"Psychic, Starmie." Misty said with a smirk before her Pokemon started glowing when they hear Leaf suddenly speaking. "Stop it with Fake Out."

In an instant, Buneary vanished which startled everyone before reappearing in front of Starmie. It then slaps its ears together, creating a shockwave which sends the violet starfish back into the pool.

"Don't give up, Starmie! Water Pulse." Misty said as her eye twitched in frustration. Starmie gets up and releases a Water Pulse which the brown rabbit dodges by hopping to another podium, bracing itself for any sneak attacks. Leaf's mind clicked when she realizes the positioning of the platforms at the moment, seeing that they all are surrounding Starmie, her hand ascending to her chin before snapping her fingers. "Got it! Alright. Brace yourself, Buneary."

Misty lifts a brow in confusion before she made another command, her partner obeying when it starts to attack when it was interrupted again by Buneary who smacks it aside then lands on another platform.

"Good job, Buneary. Keep it up." As she said these words, the Normal type nods before it jumps again towards Starmie, knocking it aside before it lands on another podium. Without missing a beat, the Pokemon then turns on its heel and continues the assault, not giving its opponent a chance to rest. Misty watches in awe and frustration as her partner gets knocked around by the brown rabbit speedy attack, making commands that ends in failure due to their opponent. The orange haired teen taps her feet in frustration as she waits for an opening, finding one when she sees a delay in Buneary's movement which made her yell one word. "Psychic!"

Hearing the command, Starmie lets out a powerful shockwave which parts the water and stops Buneary, leaving it suspended in midair. Seeing that its opponent is unable to move, the violet starfish lets out two spheres of concentrated water which failed when the Normal type counters the attack by using Thunder Punch to knock away the watery spheres before it decides to send the Pokemon into the pool. Almost instantly, it was electrocuted when it descends into the pool.

"What the hell?" Misty said in confusion. Noticing something in the water, she puts her palm to her face and groaning in annoyance. "I forgot…it's still using Thunder Punch. Get out of the water, Starmie."

Still in pain, the violet starfish tries its best to move only to be granted with failure because it is in too much pain. Misty clenched her teeth as she cringes while seeing her Pokemon still in pain as it continues to receive damage from Buneary attack, her thoughts spiraling out of control. 'Damn it. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon. It's making this hard by channeling the electricity through the water. Wait. The Water!'

"Starmie, use Water Pulse now." As the starfish heard this, it focused its power by creating a shockwave in the water near Buneary which knocked it around the pool, much to Leaf's dismay as she made a statement. "Endure this and continue. We can beat them, Buneary."

Both Pokemon continued their attacks, their determination preventing them from fainting and succumbing to the other's attack. As it got hit with one of the Water Pulse, Buneary starts to get dizzy however it continues to hold its move, its status condition making it slow and wobbly. Seeing the Normal type's behavior, Starmie starts knocking it around before blasting it out of the pool and onto a platform, the result being the brown rabbit sprawled out unconscious.

"Buneary!" Leaf exclaimed worriedly. She then jumps over to her Pokemon, taking up the Normal-type who pushes her away and trying its best to get up and continue the fight which ended in failure when it descends to its knees. It then tried again before it felt a hand on it, shrugging it off and glaring at its opponent before it succumbs to its wounds. Falling to the floor, Leaf picks up the Pokemon to only to be surprise when she sees its expression, expecting a frustrated look but instead sees the Normal type crying. Understanding how her Pokemon feels, Leaf hugs the bunny and then carries her off the field.

"I know. I know. I want to beat her too. You've been frustrated with losing every time." She whispers while cradling Buneary who simply clutches onto her as more tears fall out of its eyes.

Seeing the Pokemon made tears appears on the brunette's eyes until she looks at Red who is silently cheering for her, not a look of doubt on his face which puts a smile on her face. She then drops her gaze on Buneary, setting it down on the podium beside her and patting its head before she gets up and faces Misty. The Normal type ears twitched as it heard her say one statement before she readied her Pokeball. "Just watch" It then looks at her when she continues. "It will all end today. All our losses. All our tears. It will all end in this battle. I will win this."

As she said this, she threw her Pokeball which released Wartortle who made a battle cry as it faces Starmie, both trainers ready to put this battle in a finish.

"It's all over, Leaf. The result is going to be the same." Misty commanded, laughing before she resumes. "Now Starmie. Water Pulse."

"Dodge then Rapid Spin." The brunette said, lower the cap to only her mouth being seen.

As Starmie shot a Water Pulse, Wartortle ducks before it rotates itself and then lunges forward, crashing into its opponent before hopping away which did not go unnoticed by Misty when she sees an opportunity for a counterattack. "Psychic while it's still in the air."

"Protect." Leaf said quickly. The gym leader's eyes widens when the turtle surrounds itself in a force field, protecting itself from the attack. Hearing another command, she watches as the Protect fades and then Wartortle starts spinning, using Water Pulse to accelerate itself until it knocks Starmie back once again before landing on a platform.

"Great job, Wartortle. Now Bite." Before Starmie could do another move, Wartortle quickly leaped towards its opponent and then bit the starfish who started squirming to escape the attack. Without missing a beat and thanks to Misty's command, it uses its telekinetic abilities to send the blue turtle away to the other side of the pool before the starfish flies out of the water and on a platform. Watortle got up, trying to stay on its feet before it staggers until it falls into the pool. After seeing that the blue turtle is not showing up, Starmie looks at its trainer in confusion when Misty made a command. "Use Recover for now. We need all the energy we can get."

As it was about to sit down and glow, it's suddenly attacked by Wartortle who bit the starfish before it starts rotating until it throws its opponent into the air. Due to Misty's command, Starmie uses Psychic as a gravitation force which made it hard for the blue turtle to move, much to Leaf's dismay.

"Use your strongest Water Pulse into the air and then Protect." She said, making hand gestures to her starter as she does so. Following the orders, it charges and sends out a huge sphere of compressed water before it covers itself in a veil when the Water Pulse descends and hits it, causing Misty to laugh when she witnesses the scene.

"Give it up, Leaf. I gotta say you did well in this battle but…the result is the same. You lost. Again!" Misty stated before she starts laughing as her Pokemon continues its attack before they both notice that there is nothing on the platform after the water disperses which astonish the gym leader and her Starmie.

"I…trained for this. I'm done with losing…Not showing any form of progress. I will not be stuck here any longer. I'll show you that I can beat you. Right here in this match…I'll beat you and get my badge and you're gonna have to accept it!" As the brunette said this, her starter pops out of the water at blinding speed, colliding into Starmie before it rebounds from the ceiling, attacking it from various angles like a pinball, much to everyone's surprise. It then ascends to the ceiling until it lets gravity does it job as it descends towards the Psychic type which made Misty worry as she yells a command. "Psychic on Watortle now!"

"Oh no, you don't. Protect!" Leaf said, her emotions represented in her voice. Starmie lets out a blast of psychic energy which is immediately stopped by Wartortle's Protect. Seconds pass as the violet starfish continue its attack on the force field, both not willing to give in until the blue turtle starts struggling to hold up the force field which shows as the veil started to disappear.

"Yes! You lost. Now end it." Misty said with a huge smile on her face. Starmie starts to glow intensely, the strength of the blast getting stronger which broke the Protect, much to Leaf's disbelief as she closes her eyes. All she hears is silence even from her opponent before she opens her eyes, unable to believe the scene that she witness. There she sees Wartortle in one piece, panting as it starts falling however when she turns her gaze to Starmie, she sees the Pokemon twitching which surprised her along with everyone. Seeing what happened, Red smiles as he did a high five with Clefairy. 'Looks like the paralysis came in handy."

"Water Pulse!" Misty yells, panic present in her tone. Her eyes widened as Starmie tries to use the move only to stop abruptly due to its uncontrollable twitches showing that it is once again affected by the paralysis.

"Now Wartortle! End it with Bite!" Leaf yells at the top of her lungs. Misty's Pokemon could only helplessly watch as the Water starter's descent became faster as it bares its fangs, colliding into the starfish before they both crash into the platform, making it turn over and create huge ripples from the attack. The tension starts rising when both trainers waited, all eyes are directed towards the pool as they awaited for the survivor of the match. After a while of anxious waiting, a Pokemon pops out of the water which shocked everyone. Leaf's heart stopped when she saw Starmie at the surface, getting light headed until she sees something else. Everyone but Red were in shock when they see Wartortle with Starmie in its mouth before it spits out the starfish who is showing no signs of movement.

Leaf looks in disbelief as she watches the referee looking at the results of the battle before he made her the winner of the match, her mind blanked until she heard the announcement. "The victory of the Cerulean Gym battle goes to Leaf from Viridian City which means that the winner of the bet is Red and Leaf!"

Everyone applauded as the brunette descended to her knees, looking at Buneary with tears in her eyes as she hugged it along with Watortle. Releasing itself from its Pokeball, Roselia joins the group hug while they celebrate their victory over Misty. Red comes down from the stands with a smile on his face, waiting until the brunette's finished before he congratulates her. Seeing Red, Leaf quickly got up before she rushes and tackles him into a hug, her mouth voicing a mantra of 'Thank you' while she tries her best not to sob. Understanding how she feels, he returns the hug and pats her back as he whispers. "…Congratulations, Leaf…"

When she calmed down, both of them realize that they're receiving looks from the crowd which caused both teens to be embarrassed as Leaf hides her face under the cap and Red looking down. They both notice Misty heading towards with a scowl on her face before she starts chuckling which made the couple look at her in confusion.

"That was unexpected. However, a loss is a loss. For winning the bet, here you go." The orange haired girl said as she returned the necklace and their bracelet back to them before the referee came behind the gym leader with a case in his hands before she continued. "Also, I give you both the Cascade Badge as proof of your victory. Don't let it get to your head though. I had to give you guys a fighting chance, you know."

As she said this, both Red and Leaf look at her with disbelieving looks which cause the gym leader to turn around and clear her throat as she opens the case. She then gives both teen their badges which is in the form of a water drop. Leaf raises the badge into the sky as a tear went down her cheek when she said quietly with a smile on her face. "Finally. I got the Cascade Badge."

Misty then clears her throat to get both of the teenagers' attention as she holds out her hands, giving each teen a blue CD which made them look at her as she explains. "It's the TM Water Pulse. Hope you like it. It confuses your opponent sometimes. You guys did…well. You better not lose to anyone else, got that? Or I won't forgive you."

Both trainers starts smiling at each other as they clipped their badges on their clothing, Red on his jacket and Leaf on her bag. After doing so, the brunette wraps her arms around the raven haired teen, surprising him as she says. "Thanks, Red. For everything you have done for me. Thanks also for helping me win this battle. You're the best."

The teen simply pats her head, taking off his cap as he placed it back on his head which made her giggle at him feeling comfortable in his cap. The brunette then lifts her hand towards his face before he holds them, shaking his head which made her sees his eyes along with the small smile on his face, happy as she had a thought. 'I wonder…if I ask him to travel together with me...will he say yes?'

Her thoughts were short lived when a loud noise of a gunshot startles everyone in the gym before police sirens echo through the air, causing everyone to be worried. Curious, Red goes to check what is happening before he felt a grip on him, turning around and seeing that Leaf is holding onto his arm tightly while having a worried expression on her face.

"A-are you gonna check w-what's going on?" She asked to which the teen responded to with a nod. She was going to try to stop him however she is also curious about wanting to know what is going on as they both quietly made their way towards the entrance before they peek through the windows. Seeing multiple police vehicles outside, both of the teen observe the area before Red notices something from the corner of his eye, seeing a man dressed in all black running down the alleyway while the police chase him. He then hears Misty calming down the crowd within the gym before she gets a phone call, her eyes widening as she mutters something that sounds familiar to him, making him sweat on instinct. "You said Team Rocket is here? Oh no! How do you know? You need help now…but ther-"

She was interrupted by the call as she sighed in defeat and stated. "Alright. I'll help."

As she said that, she hanged up before another explosion shakes up the area, causing everyone to be on edge and Leaf's grip on Red's arm to be tighter as the red capped trainer starts to voice his thoughts.

"What on earth is going on?"

**I'm gonna say this right now. This chapter has caused me so much frustration. Not by the length but by the fact that I had to write this down twice due to the first time I write it. I lost the data which made me very frustrated but I got to write it. Hope you guys like it. Tell me your thoughts on the story. Thanks for the views and just for sticking around. Stay safe, guys. Enigma out!**


	26. Chapter 25: Cerulean City Peril

Silence filled the air while everyone waits in the gym, hoping for the coast to be clear while terror filled their hearts. Before long, another explosion shook the area, inviting another series of screams and shrieks amongst the crowd. Red hid behind the doors of the Pokemon gym with Leaf by his side as she held onto his arm tightly like a strong vice as they listened and checked on the situation outside through the window. After he heard Misty finishing her call, she calms down and looks around, seeing the scared and worried expressions on the people's faces which made her feel sorry for them. She then approaches towards the crowd, clearing her voice before she announces to everyone.

"Alright, guys. Not to worry, our police officers are trying to get this under control as much as they can. We need to stay here and be safe for the time being. However they're requesting for assistance from the Pokemon trainers here so for anyone that has Pokemon, we need your help with protecting the crowd especially if they are strong Pokemon. As for the Pokemon trainers..." As Misty paused her announcement, she turned to Red and Leaf who are still observing the situation outside which caused her eyes to twitch as she walked up to them. Both trainers were wondering why they didn't hear Misty voice anymore until the answer came in the form of a kick to Red's shin, making him yelp in pain. This got the duo's full attention as the red capped teen descended to the ground to hold his shin while the brunette gives her a deadly glare which causes the gym leader to be slightly startled.

"The hell did you do that for?" Leaf said as she walks towards Misty who simply turns around and goes back to the crowd, resuming her speech. "AS FOR THE TRAINERS, I will be putting you guys into two groups. One will be protecting the civilians while the others will be accompanying me to catch the thieves."

As she said this, she pointed at Red who looks at her with a bewildered expression while nursing his shin until she continued. "Hey, no face! You're coming with me to intercept the thieves along with the shivering chestnut over there."

"Hey! We both have names, you know. Don't have to be salty because you lost to us. Then again it would fit since you like to swim in seas a lot." Leaf said with a smirk on her face causing the gym leader shoulders to twitch uncontrollably. She was about to continue until she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to the red capped trainer who healed from his dilemma with his shin. He then shook his head which alerted for her to stop which she did, pouting and folding her arms before she leans against the wall. Seeing Red glaring at her angrily, Misty scoffs before she resumed her speech again. After she finished her speech and sorted the trainers, a series of gunshots echoed through the area, scaring the people in the gym as everyone notice various men on the street who seem to be observing the area while one of them is looking on the device.

Misty and her group approach the entrance of the building, watching the thugs while the gym leader motions for the other group to retreat to the back of the gym. She then leads Leaf towards the healing room of the building as both of them put their Pokeballs in the machine, waiting for them to heal as they sit down. The situation starts becoming awkward as they both want to leave the room as quickly as possible however they have to stay due to their injured Pokemon.

"What the hell happened today, chestnut? I thought I was gonna get 10 wins over you today…but you caught me off guard. Never seen you battle like that." Misty said in a melancholic tone as she watches at the device blinking different colors until the brunette responded to her. "It's simple. I trained. Don't underestimate me! I'm a lot better than you think. Plus, I'm gonna be the Champion one day."

When she heard the girl, Misty chuckled before she continued. "I see that you're stubborn as hell, that's for sure. Not many would challenge me ten times in order to get the badge. The most I've seen someone challenge me is three times."

"Are you here to help me heal my Pokemon or to talk shit, Misty?"

"Relax. I'm just saying that with the way you were battling before, I would have given it another week before you beat me…but you surprised me today along with your boyfriend."

As the gym leader said this, Leaf cheeks quickly changed to pink as she waved her hands crazily in the air and stuttered, much to the orange haired girl's amusement. "W-w-what are you talking about?! R-Red isn't m-my b-boyfriend."

"He…he is just a good friend of mine who happens to come with good luck." The brunette calmed down as she played with her dress, her cheeks slowly changing from pink to red when she continued. "He helped me a lot during training and gave me some good tips. I'm thankful to him for everything he has done for me so far…"

Hearing the brunette ramble on, Misty smiles as she looks at the device while tracing her fingers along the glass before her mind made a mental comment. 'Sounds like she's got it bad for him. But he looks so normal…Guess looks aren't everything…Noted.'

As she went through her thoughts, she along with Leaf were interrupted and frightened as a series of sound blasted through the air which was followed by screams. As the screams stopped, both females then hear banging sounds on the doors of the gym before sounds of glass shattering resonate through the area, startling them. Seeing that the healing machine is finished and quickly taking out her Pokeballs, Misty is barely able to notice Leaf rushing through the door, not having the patience to wait before she hears another scream. As the gym leader gets out of the room, she froze when her eyes landed on the scene before her. Barely gaining her mobility, she walks into the room, seeing the civilians hiding in one corner, some of them helping in nursing a few of the injured Pokemon trainers, internally cringing when watching the wounds. Turning her gaze to the entrance, she notices that one of the doors being cracked and the other on the floor in pieces, a thought coming across her mind. 'All of this happened in such a short time…'

"What…the hell just happened here?" Misty said in a worried and bewildered expression, her arms quivering. She then went over to the trainers with Leaf slowly following behind her as the brunette's eyes are darting around, looking like she is searching for someone.

"I'm sorry…Ms. Misty. They attacked us out of…nowhere. One of them had a Psychic type…they used it to get through to us and stole…some of the Pokemon and TMs along with a child." The injured trainer explained between coughs, both girls seeing a woman by the wall crying with some of the people trying to comfort her. He starts wincing from the pain when he gets some bandages applied to his shoulder along with the burning sensation from the alcohol on his shoulder before he along with everyone else hear a question from the gym leader.

"Did you happen to catch who they were?"

"No…they were…too skilled. Before we could…anything…we got knocked around…by those men…in black…"

After he finishes his explanation, the trainer starts coughing, not showing any signs of stopping. Seeing his condition worsening, Misty asks Nurse Joy if he's going to be fine only for the pink haired woman to reassure her as her Chansey heals the man, making the gym leader sigh in relief when his injuries slowly starts to disappear. She then thinks about the situation going on, she knows that the police officer states that it is Team Rocket that is behind this but she does not know what they look like. Racking her brain for any possible answers, she is interrupted when one of the civilians touches her, giving her their phone and said. "I…got this during the fight. I-I don't know if it will help but it's the best I can do."

"O-oh. Thank you." Misty thanked the person before she saw the video, seeing the fight went down. Within the video, the trainers got attacked, some of them able to put up a good fight until a yellow and brown Psychic type came up to the door, hypnotizing some of the trainers to sleep before the thugs came in. The video ends when the men came in, the gym leader's eyes widening in horror when she saw the insignia on their shirts, her hand went to her mouth as she gasped. "Damn it. I wish the police's speculation were wrong. It's them."

Her face still frozen in horror, she gives the teenager the phone before she slowly walks towards the group of trainers. As she is about to say something, she was interrupted as various police officers rushed into the gym, helping the injured and sorting out the crowd while one of them went towards Misty, his face sweating and a worried and stress filled expression on his face.

"W-we have a predicament, Gym Leader Misty." He spoke, pausing as he looked at the injured people and Pokemon before he looked at the gym leader. "It seems that the damage was not as bad as I thought,"

"Don't tell me it's what I think it is, officer?" Misty said, hoping that it's not what she expected. The officer nodded as he stated. "I'm afraid it is. Team Rocket is the cause of this."

Hearing this, most of the trainers gasped in horror, some of them panicking while the others look around in confusion, not understanding the message. Misty clenched her teeth in frustration as her shoulders started to tremble before seeing the troubled and stressed expressions on the civilians before she turned around and asked. "What do we need to do to keep them safe?"

"I'll let a few of my crew stay behind to keep an eye on them. We found Team Rocket's hideout and we're planning to intercept them shortly. Will you join us, Misty?"

Misty looks at the civilians, seeing the fear etched on their faces before turning around with a look of confidence when she said. "Yeah. I'll help out."

The two nods as they got to work, the police officer guiding the people while Misty rally up as much trainers as she could. After a few moments, all the trainers were quickly grouped together with Misty and the police man about to speak before another voice talked first.

"Excuse me. Does anyone know where Red is? I'm looking for him but I haven't seen him around here." Leaf asked, interrupting the two as the gym leader noticed that the area is missing some of the trainers, including a certain raven haired trainer. The two girls turned towards the trainers when one of them, who is a middle aged man, explained the situation as he scratches his hair.

"The kid in the red cap and jacket? He ran out of the gym and chased those guys along with some others. We tried to stop them but we were too late. I hope that they're alright." The man explained, slightly out of breath. The gym leader's frustration as she scratches her head before she notices Leaf shaking uncomfortably while typing quickly on her Pokegear.

"You mean to tell me that some of the trainers are chasing those guys as we speak and you didn't say anything about it?! Don't you think that's important information?!" Misty yelled at the trainers, startling some of them as one of them made a rebuttal.

"It should not be that bad. Should it?"

"It is! This is Team Rocket that we're talking about! Grrr… Officer! What is the plan?"

The gym leader turns to the officer, trying her best to calm down until she hears a series of gunshots sounds followed with screams as the police officers ran out, motioning Misty and her group to follow. Making their way through the city while the officer explains the situation to them, they notice a group of trainers on the street, some of them being injured and unable to move while the others are tending to the wounded.

"What happened here?" The policeman demanded. His voice startles the group, making them think it is an enemy, panic in their face. Seeing Misty, they made a sigh of relief and resume their activities while one of the girls in the group approaches them and explains the situation. "We were chasing the burglars but they got the jump on us. Before we know it, most of us are on the floor. One person ran ahead after them, we followed but we lost them."

After hearing this and looking at the group, Misty asked a question which got Leaf's attention. "Is the person who is still chasing the people a boy in a red cap and jacket?"

"Yeah. How did you know that?" The girl said, baffled by the gym leader's guess. Misty then scoffs before she turns to Leaf who is busy typing on her Pokegear. "Hey, Leaf. You able to get to your boyfriend yet?"

"No. What do you think I've been doing all this time?! I haven't gotten a response from him at all. I'm worried…" Leaf exclaimed, her voice coated in worry and concern. She once again types a message on her Pokegear, sending the message as she put the device in her bag. "Why does this have to happen now? Red…"

'I hope that you're ok.'

Red pants as he remains in hot pursuit of the thieves, his Beedrill beside him and having his slingshot ready. As they turned another corner and went into an alleyway, he commands his Luxio to continue going down the street while he gets into position, waiting to intercept them on the other side. Seeing the men appear from the other side of the street, he gets his slingshot ready before he lingers in wait for the men, making Beedrill coat the street with String Shot in order to trap the men.

"Damn it! They got us! Try to get your Pokeballs!" One of the men said, the others followed his orders. Suddenly they stopped, confusing one of the grunts before he notices that they were unconscious which surprised him. He was about to notify the others until he was interrupted by a shot to the head that staggered him, looking around to see his teammates knock out cold which caused the man to sweat profusely until Beedrill appears in front of him, hovering close to his face with its stingers ready. He then noticed Red when the trainer approaches him, his slingshot ready as he silently asks a question. "Where is the kid?"

"W-what?" The man said, not hearing what the teenager said.

"Where…is the kid that you took?" Red said louder and more clearly.

"Heh! If you're threatening me, kid. You gotta do better than tha-" He could not finish his statement as Beedrill has its stinger in his mouth, surprising him. Before he could do anything, he notices Luxio walking up to him, its body crackling with electricity as it raises its paw which is cloaked in electricity. The thug starts sweating profusely before he sees a glimpse of Red's eyes which frightened him which made him afraid while he squirms and flails about in desperation in the silky prison. Seeing this, the raven haired boy asks Beedrill to take its stinger out of his mouth which made the man cough excessively before he is able to speak.

"They're on…their way to the…Underground Tunnel on Route 5. That's…our escape…path." The man said, coughing between words. "I told you everything. Can you let me go?"

Red hummed before he smiles and shakes his head, much to the man's horror when the teen retrieves the stolen items and then sprints towards Route 5 in order to catch up with the other thugs. After a few minutes of running, he finds himself at the entrance of the tunnel, quickly catching his breath before his Pokegear starts ringing. He looks at it to see multiple messages from Leaf which cause him to sweat when he realized that he haven't noticed the device's alarms, not reading it and turning off the device, wincing as he did so.

'She's gonna kill me for this.' Red thought as his mind imagined an angry version of the brunette which brought chills up his spine, something that he has to deal with later.

Recollecting his thoughts, he enters the tunnel and slowly creeps down the stairs. Hearing voices, the teen sneaks a peek while hiding behind the stairs, seeing several people in black uniforms which had a red 'R' on them as they shuffle and carry various boxes and load them unto a weird machine.

'Team Rocket…' Red mentally commented. As he observed throughout the tunnel, he notices the kidnapped victims who are tied up by some of the boxes with a lone grunt keeping guard. Seeing the kidnapped child within the group, he quietly dashes from one group of boxes to another, readying his slingshot as he gets closer to the hostages who were panicking with some of them screaming, much to the annoyance of the grunt. Having enough of the captured individuals' shouts, the man stands up and walks over to them, taking out a Pokeball and crouching.

"If you don't shut your fucking mouths, my little friend will shut it up for you. Oh, and trust me. It will be permanent." He whispered in a low and murderous tone before he got a response in the form of a spit to his face which made him to be more annoyed as a vein appeared on his face and his eye started to twitch. His eyes then focuses on the perpetrator who is a woman when he stands up in front of her and lifts his foot before he kicks her in the face, making her land on the floor face first.

"Ok... I didn't expect that." He said as he walked towards her, firmly placing his foot on her face with a sadistic smile on his face. He then applied pressure, squeezing her head to the ground which invited a shriek of pain. "You little bitch! Who the fuck do you think that you're dealing with?"

He then starts laughing while continues torturing the woman before he turns to the rest of the hostages, saying something that caused all of their hearts to sink before they scream in terror. "You know what? Fuck this! I'll just kill you all right now."

As he said this, he gripped the Pokeball and was about to throw it in the air before something collided into his hand which made him to groan in pain, dropped the capsule. Confusion taking control of his mind, he checks around the area before noticing a stone coming towards him, barely having time to response or dodge as the rock connected to his left eye, causing him to scream while he held onto the wounded eye. About to call for reinforcements, he was interrupted as silk goes around his mouth, preventing any sound to come out until he turns to Red who quickly punches him on his temple which knocked him out, falling to the ground with a light slamming sound. The teen releases a sigh of relief before he goes to the hostages, freeing them and stating for them to leave which they did. After they leave, Red continues down the tunnel with Beedrill and Luxio behind him, preparing himself mentally and physically for any form of attack.

_'I'm sorry but the number that you are calling is unavailable at this time. Pleas-.'_ Leaf ends the call, gripping her Pokegear as she gets a voicemail for the tenth time in a row, her anger showing on her face.

'I'm going to kill Red for this. Why is his phone turned off?' The brunette thought, trying his best to calm down. While she is doing so, Misty and the group are going towards the end of the city before they come across the hostages, seeing them along with some Team Rocket grunts that are trapped within a silky trap which cause them to stop, their minds bewildered.

"What's going on here? I'm glad that you're safe but how did you escape?" The police officer asked, confusion taking his tone. Some of the trainers let out a sigh of relief after seeing that the hostages being safe while others are glad that they do not have to engage in any conflict with such a dangerous group. After they heard the man's question, one of them walks towards the police officer as she pointed down the route.

"W-we were saved by a kid in a red jacket. He's at the Underground Tunnel taking on those Rockets alone. You need to help him." She said, the rest agreeing with her as everyone awaited the order of the officer who got out his walkie talkie. Annoyed and impatient, Leaf checks her Pokegear, desperately waiting for a response from Red before she walks towards the direction of the tunnel only to be stopped by other police officers, much to her frustration. After speaking with another officer on the walkie talkie, he then motioned for the officers to follow him as he said to Leaf and Misty's group. "We're going to intercept them."

After a minute of walking, they heard sirens before seeing a barricade of multiple police cars blocking the road, the doors quickly opening as a man in uniform with a gold badge on his shirt stepped out, looking around before he opened his mouth and exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

"All able bodied trainers, come with me! We're going to confront Team Rocket and take them out! We need all the help that we can get! If you don't believe you're up for the task, stay and protect the civilians!"

As he made the announcement, Leaf walks forward, passing the barricade before she continued down the route only to be stopped by the other officers who instructed her to wait which brought a pout to her face. Seeing the brunette impatiently fidgeting around, Misty sighed as she made her way to the other policemen, seeing them equip both of them with bulletproof vests along with some Ace Trainers. After they were finished getting ready, they turn to see that no other trainer is coming along with them, their faces filled with doubt and fear. This made the brunette melancholic as one of the trainers who looks to be the same age as Leaf looks towards the group, confusion taking her mind as she mouthed a question. "Wait. Why are they not coming?"

"It's understandable. With seeing the state of the hostages and how they barely survive with their lives. I'm surprised they didn't walk away sooner." Misty commented to which Leaf nodded. She turns to the brunette who is impatiently tapping her foot before she continued. "Plus, not all of them are the daughter of the commissioner who is used to situations like these…and has a boyfriend she needs to save."

Hearing this, Leaf growled before she stomped off, checking her Pokegear once again. One of the policemen notices the distressed expression on the gym leader's face, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder which startles her before saying. "Sorry. Uh… hi there. Nervous?"

"Huh?" The gym leader said, raising her brow.

"Oh n-no. I was just wondering if you were nervous. B-because if you were, I understand how that feels. However, you can't blame yourself. Doesn't mean you're a gym leader means you're this superhero…I mean I want to be one but…e-even Champions have their limits and weaknesses…" Hearing him ramble on made a smile appear on her face before she starts laughing which made the policeman look at her in confusion. She wipes a tear from her face before she said. "Calm down. I get it."

She walks away, leaving the guy looking to the ground before he heard something that made him look at her with wide eyes. "And thanks. That helped."

They then walked down the route, much to Leaf's relief as she briskly walks off, not willing to wait anymore. After a few minutes of walking, they stopped before their destination, seeing multiple officers by the entrance of the tunnel investigating and keeping guard who did a salute upon seeing the corporal.

"What's the status, cadet?" The corporal asked, walking up to them.

"There are signs of conflict in the tunnel. We send some of our own down there however they're having trouble as we speak however they all reported to hear conflict further down the tunnel. Some even state that they see lightning and electricity flaring further down as well." The woman by the entrance of the tunnel explained before everyone heard sounds of a clash which was followed by a scream which caused Misty to click her tongue. 'This does not look like it will be easy.'

'Lightning and electricity? That must be Red's Luxio.' Leaf said, glad as of the moment that her friend may be alright. Despite this, she would feel more comfortable coming to that conclusion herself and seeing him with her own eyes, knowing that the police has a tendency of sugarcoating events in order to prevent panic.

The corporal sighed before he turned to everyone and exclaimed. "Alright, everyone! The goal of this journey is to subdue as much of the Rocket grunts as possible. We need to stop them from taking as much of the stolen items as possible! Prepare to lave in a minute!"

Everyone nodded, preparing themselves as some of the police officers put Leaf, Misty and the other trainers got their Pokemon ready, some of them adjusting their vests. As they finished their preparations as the man spoke again. "I hope that you're ready for we will be going in the next five seconds."

"Five!" As he made the countdown, the trainers smirked as they braced themselves, some of them trying their best to keep calm.

"Four!" The police officers got their weapons and Pokeballs ready, some of them releasing their Growlithe and Herdier who are in battle position already as they awaited for their assault.

"Three!" Misty started to sweat, trying to calm herself down by inhaling and exhaling which resulted in failure as she still see her hands shaking as she closed her eyes in frustration as she thought. 'C'mon, Misty. You can do this.'

"Two!" Leaf impatiently walked towards the entrance, worried about Red when she heard the final number. 'Can this go any slower?!'

"One! Everyone, it's time to engage. Battle stations!" The corporal shouted as he along with the rest of the crowds rushed through the entrance of the Underground Tunnel, preparing themselves the best way they can as a single thought goes through Leaf's brain.

"Red. Please be alright."

**Hiya, guys. Hope you like the chapter so far. This chapter was such a huge break compared to the storm I made that is the previous chapter. Not to worry for I'm writing up the next couple chapters as of the moment. I really like the Underground Tunnel and I'm honestly sad that nothing happens there. I feel like they missed an opportunity there to make some grunts be down there or some illegal trade happen however Pokemon is a kids' game so I can understand. Again, guys. Please take care of yourselves and your family and thanks for giving my story a read. Thanks again and Enigma out.**


	27. Chapter 26: Trouble in the Tunnel

Within the Underground Tunnel, a battle wages on between the Rocket grunts and the police officers, some fighting with guns and fists while others use their Pokemon to express their combative side. As the conflict resumes, Leaf rushes through the tunnel, knocking grunt after grunt while searching around for her red capped friend. Noticing something from the corner, she is barely able to move out of the way when something grazes her, its sharp claws punctures the place that she is previously standing at. The Pokemon pulls its claw out of the ground before two females walk from behind the boxes, dressed in the Team Rocket uniform with the only difference being that they wear a skirt instead of pants.

"Sorry but can't let you pass, twerp. One kid was bad enough. Not making that mistake again." She said with her arms crossed. Her partner voices a command, causing her Pokemon to dash towards Leaf, startling the girl as she successfully avoids its attack before her Buneary pops out of her bag and punches the Pokemon, knocking it to the side before the brown rabbit lands gracefully on the ground.

"Buneary, nice one!" The brunette said happily when her Pokemon hopped into her arms, hugging her. She smiles before she looks skeptically at the Normal type before she starts voicing her thoughts. "Wait. How did you fit in my bag?"

Hearing her question, Buneary shrugs before they both turn their attention to the Pokemon who rushes at them again, failing as its claws easily cutting through the boxes behind them like paper, much to its trainer's worry. "Hey! Careful with the cargo, Pawniard. We don't wanna get on the boss' bad side. Now use Metal Claw."

The Pokemon, which is now known as Pawniard, dashes forwards with its claws glowing in a metallic shine before it jumps in the air and starts attacking. As it drove its claws forward, Buneary dodges the move, jumping off the wall before it hears its trainer. "Good, Buneary. Now Thunder Punch."

Its ears crackle with electricity before it curls them back and punches Pawniard which sends it flying into a stack of boxes, much to the grunt's surprise as she runs towards the Pokemon. About to continue, Leaf stops before she notices something at the corner of her eye, dodging a Flamethrower that burns all the useless boxes behind her into remains. Looking at the result of the attack frightened the brunette before she turns to her attackers, eyes widening upon seeing a black lizard beside the other woman, the pattern on its back begins to glow as it spits out flames as intimidation.

"Give up, girly. Or else you'll be turned into a burnt crisp." The woman said in a threatening voice, chuckling as her Pokemon growls angrily.

'A Salandit?' The brunette mentally questioned. Leaf then braced herself as she stares at her opponents, ready to throw out another Pokemon only to be interrupted when the lizard attacks her again, making her back up and hit the wall. Taking the opportunity, the other grunt calls her Pawniard to use another Metal Claw which it obeys as it runs towards her and Buneary while crossing its arms. Getting closer, a smile comes across Leaf's face as she voices a command to her Pokemon. "Buneary, Double Hit to intercept and then spin using Thunder Punch."

Obedient to its trainer, the Normal type trades blows with Pawniard before it spins, coiling its ears before landing a Thunder Punch in the Pokemon's stomach which sends it flying towards Salandit and then into the wall, creating a dent. Using this as an opportunity, she sent out Watortle.

"Water Pulse now!" She said quickly. Watortle was about to use the move but was interrupted when it suddenly started to float in the air, much to Leaf's surprise. The Water type starts panicking and flailing about, trying to get down before it flies towards Buneary, crashing into it and sending both Pokemon to a wall.

"What the?" Leaf said in a bewildered tone before noticing a blue glow at the dark section of the tunnel.

She then sees a man emerging from the shadows with a yellow elephant like Pokemon whose eyes are glowing while moving its hands in a weird spinning motion. Chuckling evilly, he was about to say an order before he gets interrupted, his partner getting hit which made it skid back from its initial position, much to his anger as he glares daggers towards the person that attacked his Pokemon. Everyone turns to see Misty with her Starmie as she walks up beside Leaf, saying. "I know you want to find your boyfriend and all but you need to stick with the plan."

The brunette scoffed, mumbling. "I'm already going with the plan. I'm beating up every grunt that is stupid enough to get in my way."

"Not doing a good job with that. There are three grunts in front of you. And they still have Pokemon." The gym leader rebutted while her Starmie teams up with Leaf's Pokemon. They all hear a dark chuckle, turning their attention towards the male grunt, both confused at his sudden attitude. After a moment, the man slowly stops and begins to laugh in pure rage which unnerved everyone including his own teammates when he furiously scratches his head.

"That's it! I've had it with you damn people!" He exclaimed angrily, panting before continuing. "First, it was that damn kid with the freaky red eyes who just came out of fucking nowhere and started beating us senselessly and now there's two bitches here along with the whole damn police force that suddenly want to fight!"

Misty's eyebrow twitched at the insult as a vein appeared on her forehead, her expression hiding the intense anger inside her which did not go unnoticed by Starmie who backed away from its trainer in fear. The same is for Leaf who gritted her teeth and fists clenches before she hears Red's description when she asks. "Where is Red? What did you do with him?"

"The fuck is red?! You talking about that freaky mute kid?! Who the fuck cares? For all I know, he might be dead!" The man said, chuckling slightly and unaware of the killing glares that he is receiving from the two girls. With their opponents coming closer, both Leaf and Misty went on their guard along with their Pokemon before Pawniard vanishes, startling the two trainers before Leaf had an idea.

"Buneary, Foresight and then Thunder Punch. Watortle, Water Pulse to stop it." The brunette commanded before she hears the gym leader. "Starmie, Psychic."

Before Pawniard could reach, suddenly Buneary focuses on the Pokemon and then hops before it with its ears crackling with electricity and strikes Pawniard in the stomach which send it flying towards the wall while Wartortle starts glowing and summoning a wave of water.

"We're not going to have any of that water shenanigans. Drowzee, if you please." The man said, crossing his arms. Obeying, Drowzee's eyes glow bright blue before it focuses on Wartortle, about to attack when it senses something, dodging Salandit who crashes into a wall, much to Misty and Leaf's bewilderment.

"What the? How did it do that?" The orange haired girl asked.

"You like that, huh? My Drowzee's Forewarn ability allows him to be able to get himself out of almost any situation. Think of it as a danger sensor." The man explained while Drowzee floated, dodging a Water Pulse from Wartortle which knocked away both Salandit and Pawniard.

"Pawniard! Now Dual Chop."

"Drowzee, help them out and use Brick Break"

"Salandit, Now Dragon Rage."

After the grunts spoke, their Pokemon charge towards the female duo using their respective moves when Misty got an idea before she whispers to Leaf. "Leaf, you handle the Salandit. I'll handle the Drowzee and Pawniard. However I need you to do one thing for me. I need a good chance to get that Drowzee off guard."

As she explains the plan, Leaf nods as they both take their position and run towards their opponents alongside their Pokemon, confusing the Rocket grunts. As they are about to clash, the brunette grins as she made the first command. "Buneary, use Double Hit on Salandit and Wartortle, follow it up with a Water Pulse."

"Starmie, use Water Tornado on Pawniard."

As Leaf and Misty made their commands, the Pokemon dash off with Buneary hopping around the tunnel before it smacks Salandit's mouth shut, pummeling it which causes it to stumble back and shake off its attacker. In a dizzy state, the lizard could barely hear its trainer's commands or notice Watortle when it shot a Water Pulse to the Pokemon which hit it, making it descend to the ground. Barely able to get up and ready itself to attack, it shoots its Dragon Rage which the blue turtle dodges as it marvels at the power of the attack. The direction of the attack had the Rocket girl's eyes widening upon realizing where it is heading, screaming at the top of her lungs to her teammates' Pokemon to avoid the blue stream of flames. She was too late as they were surrounded by the Water Tornado which made them get hit by the move, Drowzee taking the blunt of the blow, much to Misty's delight as she takes the opportunity.

'Now I got you.' She thought this, whispering to her Starmie. It nods as it focuses its telekinetic powers on Drowzee while Pawniard was given another command.

Before the yellow elephant could react, its body starts moving on its own as it goes in front of Pawniard, getting hit by its Dual Chop before it is controlled to use Brick Break on the Dark and Steel type which knocked it out cold. Slowly able to control its body due to Psychic wearing off, Drowzee was about to attack before noticing Buneary who jumped off the wall and then descended, connecting its foot to the Psychic type's jaw which slammed it to the ground unconscious.

"That's so cool! What did Buneary just do?" Leaf said in amazement before fishing out her Pokedex out of her bag. Before she was able to get out the device, Misty explains it to her and pushes her forward. "We have no time to be looking at the Pokedex. What Buneary used just now was Jump Kick. A strong fighting type move but be careful when using it. If you miss, it hurts. A lot."

As the pair were about to go further down the tunnel, the grunts lunges at them to only for the male of the group to be tackled into the wall by Misty before he gets hit in the gut by a Water Pulse. The female grunts suffered the same fate as Leaf sprints forward, landing a blow in one of them in the gut before she rushes the next one, kicking her in the face which made her dizzy. Before they were able to get their bearing, the brunette sweep their feet, making them fall on the ground before calling out Roselia to use Stun Spore to make them paralyzed.

"Jeez! Harsh much." Misty commented which made Leaf rolled her eyes before she starts walking off. They continue down the tunnel until they hear sounds of a battle before a flash of light illuminates the area, causing them to cover their eyes while carefully continuing.

When the light subsides, both girls are able to open their eyes, witnessing various Rocket members on the ground along with their Pokemon, some of them immobile and unconscious. Leaf smiles when she notices Red, along with Beedrill and Clefairy, facing off a few grunts, most of their Pokemon fainted on the floor except for a few, one of them looking like a floating snow ghost. Seeing her friend in one piece, Leaf runs up to him, tackling him into a hug which surprises the raven haired teen.

"Red!" She said, snuggling in his jacket and shirt. Still astonished at, the boy notices some tears in her eyes before he returns the hug until she glares at him. "I'm glad that you're ok."

"Never. Do. That. Again." Leaf said in a threatening tone. Her glare manages to unnerve Red who quickly nods in order to make sure not to make her upset. They both then hear a cough, turning to Misty who struts past them, separating the two, much to Red's confusion and Leaf's frustration.

"I'm happy that you found your boo in one piece but if you don't remember, we have Team Rocket members to beat." Misty said, pointing towards the grunts in front of them who are trying to escape. With a pout appearing on her face, the brunette folds her arms and mumbled. "You're just jelly cause you don't have someone to hug."

Hearing Leaf and not bothering to make a rebuttal, Misty scoffed, turning around to see a Sneasel's claws just several inches from her face, much to her surprise. Before she could do or think of anything else, Beedrill extended its stingers, shooting several purple pin like projectiles that quickly hit the Dark type, making it stop its attack and retreat. The Bug-type's stingers starts glowing purple, causing the needles being shot to transform into dark purple pin like blobs that hit Sneasel, knocking it out t cold. Confused by the move Beedrill used, Red quickly checks his Pokedex, not finding any information on the move before he hears someone explains what happened.

"Your Beedrill just used Venoshock. It's a strong Poison type move that increases in strength whenever the opponent gets poisoned. Understand?" Misty explained in an annoyed tone. Red nods, understanding her explanation before she continues. "Now let's get back to knocking these fools. Starmie, Water Pulse now."

"Froslass, Ice Beam." The man said in an emotionless tone, not bothering to look at his opponent.

Obeying its trainer's command, Starmie charged its attack, sending a wave of water that knocked out most of the grunts only for the attack to be stopped and frozen by the Ghost type Pokemon, much to Misty's annoyance. Red notices a Rocket grunt sneaking behind Leaf, taking out his slingshot and shooting the man in his face, causing him to hold his face and scream in agony. The brunette then sees two men behind the raven haired teen, sprinting forward until she lands a blow in the grunt's stomach, knocking the wind out of him before she rushes the other one, sweeping him off his feet. Not missing a step, she grabs him by the arm and slams him into the other thug, knocking both of them unconscious.

'Woah! Note to self: Do not get on Leaf's bad side.' Red thought before he shot another grunt. After commanding Clefairy to take out a Machop, he knocks out two other guards, punching one in his face and shooting another in his temple. Before long, all of the grunts were knocked out, the trio turning their attention towards the man on the other side of the tunnel who plays with his black hair while looking at them with an uncaring and bored expression on his face.

"This…is not good. First, Mt. Moon and this. We're getting some resistances in the last few missions…" The man said unbothered as he walks forward towards the three trainers, his Froslass beside him who he whispered a command to. When the trio hears the police team coming to them, suddenly they are taken out in mere seconds by a Supersonic from a Magneton, much to everyone's surprise. As the man gives it another command to kill them, Red interferes by making his Luxio to use Bite which it did and held onto to the magnet Pokemon before throwing it towards Clefairy to slaps it into a wall. Seeing signs of movement, Buneary quickly hops into the air and kicks the Steel type, driving it further into the wall and rendering it immobile. Unbothered by what happened, the man returns the Pokemon before he whispers again to Froslass, the Pokemon nodding as it approaches the trio. As it disappears from sight in a white mist, the man holds out his hand before saying. "You are all welcome to join us for our cause. Team Rocket is always looking for talent. With your skills, you three could be Admins in no time."

Leaf and Misty looks at each other in confusion at the man's gesture, chuckling until they both loudly mouthed their answer. "NO, YA SCUMBAG!"

The man then turns to Red who shakes his head as a response which made him sigh in an exhausted manner. He then puts his hands in his pocket before he said something in a haunting tone that frightened the three. "Well, too bad. I will have to kill you here."

As he said this, his Froslass appeared behind Leaf and Misty, which did not go unnoticed by Red when he quickly shot a stone at it and then made a command to his Beedrill. "Now…Pursuit."

The Bug type goes to attack Froslass who simply vanishes, appearing at another location which the bee starts to charge the Ice type to then be rewarded with failure once again as its opponent disappears again. Everyone looks around before Misty shouts at Leaf. "Tell your Buneary to use Foresight now, Leaf!"

"Got it. Buneary, Foresight now!" The brunette commanded. The Pokemon's eyes begins to glow before it searches around, noticing Froslass phasing through the ground before it stops by Red, charging a ball of ice in its hands and aiming it at him. The boy seems to sense the Pokemon's presence when he turns around and commands for Beedrill to attack, to which it did only to be hit by its Ice Beam. Red then sees the bee get up, emitting an arrow as it strikes the Ghost type, realizing that the attack pattern of the move is different as the attack seems to be stronger as it sends Froslass flying through the passageway before it lands by its trainer's feet. However, the man was not flinched and simply looked down at the Ice type in disappointment, shaking his head. Suddenly, he did an act that cause Red to be angry and both Leaf and Misty to be frightened.

He stepped on Froslass' head, causing a pained cry to come from the Pokemon.

"Froslass, you need to do better. You cannot be messing up against these mediocre trainers. You need to get your act together. Now get up and don't disappoint me again." The man said calmly, his insult angering both the girls but their anger did not compare to the amount of rage that Red felt. The boy's clenched unto his slingshot, trying his best to calm down, taking deep breaths upon doing so as the battle continues.

"So we're mediocre, huh? Let me show you what a mediocre trainer is." Misty said as Starmie stepped forward. "Starmie, use Water Tornado."

"Buneary, Thunder Punch."

"Dodge the attacks and use Ice Beam…" The man paused, noticing something from the corner of his eye before he continues in a silent tone that the trainers could not pick up. "…on the boy."

Misty then sees the Pokemon becoming transparent again before Stamie and Buneary could hit it. The man watches Red, seeing the look of anger on the teen's face while he silently aims his slingshot to him. The boy's body instinctively recognizes the presence of the Froslass behind him before dodging an Ice Beam and then countering by shooting several rocks at the illusive snow ghost, much to the man's surprise.

'What? Impossible? Is he able to sense ghosts?' He thought, his eyes slowly widening at what he has witnessed. As Red avoids the ghost's attacks, his Beedrill comes to protect him along with Leaf's Wartortle which proves to be futile when it phases through them and then vanishes while the man watches the raven haired teen struggle against his Pokemon's attacks. Having his whole attention on Red, he barely notices Misty and Leaf rushing towards him, the brunette lashing out a flurry of strikes at the man which he dodges nimbly before going for a sweep kick that catches him off guard however he recovers by doing a backflip. Ready to make a counterattack, he barely notices a sphere of water going towards him, almost getting hit by the attack as it grazes his clothes and making a noticeable rip on his uniform. Annoyed by the rip on his clothing, he was barely able to dodge a kick from Leaf before he went on the offensive, lending out a barrage of punches to which the girl blocks skillfully until he sweeps her foot which made her lost balance when she block a drop kick from the man.

"I have to say, that was impressive. You held your own against me skillfully, Ms. Leaf. As expected of Chief Green's daughter. He has taught you well." The man said, making Leaf's wide upon hearing him. Seeing her reaction, he raises a brow before he continues. "Don't tell me you're surprised? You're kind of a celebrity."

Leaf growls before she rushes him again, Misty providing backup for the brunette. As the two girls continues their assault on the man, he tries to attack using Froslass only to realize that the Pokemon is having its hands full with fighting Red and Beedrill, much to his annoyance. Groaning at the level of trouble he is having, he threw another Pokeball which released a Pokemon that looks like a bigger version of Machop and then he stretched his hand.

"Machoke, Brick Break the War-" He said before suddenly getting interrupted as a stone hit him in his face, blood running down his forehead with his face having an angered expression before he turned his glare to Red.

"Machoke, Earthquake." The man said, trying to control his anger as each word coming out of his mouth like poison. Machoke starts flexing before it strikes the ground, causing the tunnel to shake, making some of the ceiling fall on everyone who tries their best to avoid the rubble as much as possible. Misty commands her Starmie to use Psychic which protected her from the falling rocks along with Leaf yelling at her Wartortle to use Protect while running towards Red, who is protecting his Pokemon by returning them, only to be stopped as the Superpower Pokemon made a stomp that parted the tunnel, preventing the brunette from getting to the other side.

"Shit!"

"Damnit!"

Both girls cursed until they hear Machoke running towards, its fists glowing when it start attacking them, creating craters at the places that they were previously occupying as they evaded the punches. Red, on the other hand, was avoiding the falling rocks, trying his best not to lose sight of the Rocket grunt before he senses an ominous presence, getting his Pokeball. Before he was able to throw the capsule, Froslass shoots an Ice Beam at the trainer, missing him and freezing the wall before it made its way towards the trainer. It then vanishes into thin air, catching him off guard as he searches for it and keeping himself alert of any sudden movements. He once again feels the Ghost type's presence, taking out his Pokeball to throw but was interrupted as he is hit with another Ice Beam that knocks the capsule from his hand, much to his dismay as he quickly goes to pick it up.

'Oh no! Nononononono. This is not good.' He thought, seeing the capsule rolling over to the crevice in the middle of the tunnel. Jumping towards the Pokeball, he catches it at the last second before he rolls and gets up, ready to throw the ball until he felt a painful grip on his arm. Turning to see Froslass biting on his arm and drawing blood, Red tries his best to shake off the Ghost type, unable to do much due to its typing however he was not prepared for what was going to happen afterwards. In one swift motion, the Ice type savage tugs his arm, causing him discomfort before a sickening crunch sound echoes throughout the tunnel, creating a wave of intense to shot up from Red's arm to his entire body. Clutching his arm, he yells in pain, his screams echoing through the area, catching the attention of Leaf and Misty along with the grunt who starts to smile.

"Red! Are you alright?" The brunette said, concerned for her friend's safety. When she hears nothing, she starts to get more concerned before Misty puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, shaking her head before saying. "He'll be fine. Probably much have gotten hit by an attack or something."

"And that's alright? Seriously?!"

"What? He's shown me so far that he's tough." Misty shrugs.

"Tough not invincible. Plus, you heard that scream just now. That's not the scream of someone getting hit by a small attack." Leaf said, clasping her hands and hoping that her friend is alright before she resumes her fight.

Being in intense agony due to his dislocated limb cause the raven haired teen to be unaware of his surroundings as he held his arm in panic, grunting from the discomfort that resonating throughout his whole body. Blinded by the pain, the trainer is unable to realize that his Luxio came out of its Pokeball, fighting off Froslass and sending it retreating to its boss, making Leaf and Misty have to deal with both Froslass and Machoke. The battle was going to continue until the police came, on guard with their weapons and Pokemon on hand, much to the frustration of the Rocket grunt.

"Freeze! Hands where I can see them!" One of the officers shouted, all of them getting ready as they aimed their weapons at him with their partners awaiting orders in an alert position and some checking on the conditions of Leaf and Misty.

"Oh! Leader Misty! Nice to see that you're doing ok." The orange haired girl heard, seeing the policeman that she spoke with earlier.

"Hey! You're that dude from earlier. Hmm…"

"Don't worry. I didn't tell you my name. C'mon." He said before he helps her up, bringing her with the rest of the injured to the.

Seeing the situation that he's in, the grunt clicked his teeth in frustration before he hears something, taking his phone and smiling at the message. Putting the device in this pocket, he made a command that made everyone instantly back away, some of them quickly and urgently retreating out of the tunnel after they heard what he said. "Earthquake."

Machoke obeys, stomping the floor with all its strength, causing the tunnel to shake violently before part of the ceiling descended. As this occurred, everyone ran in different directions in a panicked manner, some to shelters within the rubbles and others trying to run out of the cave. Seeing the result and everyone's expressions, the man smiles before he escapes with his Machoke and Froslass, leaving everyone to die in the tunnel.

"Farewell." The man said as everyone took cover, some people closing their eyes as they waited for the incident to finish.

After what seems to be an eternity, the area finished shaking and the place became quiet, the only sounds able to be heard is the dirt descending to the floor. Noticing that everything is silent, Leaf opens her eyes and gasps when she witnesses the results of the attack as she walks around the tunnel, seeing that it's severely destroyed before she sees that the direction to Cerulean City is blocked by a wall of rubble. Looking around for survivors, Leaf is unable to find anyone until she hears a muffled sound by some rubble before noticing electricity and light being emitted inside the rubble which pushes away and destroys some of the stones and boulders, showing Luxio's face.

"Isn't that Red's Luxio?" The brunette recognized, running quickly to the Pokemon. Noticing her, it starts growling before it recognizes who she is, making cries for help. She crouches down and, along with her Wartortle, assists in moving the rubble which made Luxio able to escape. Leaf was about to ask about the whereabouts of its trainer until she notices it dragging something out from inside the rubble which is an unconscious and bloodied Red.

"Oh no! Red!" She shouted in worry. She quickly takes out his body from under the rubble, wincing as she sees the unnatural direction that his arm is bent into. Tending to his wounds and trying her best to create a good case for his arm while restraining it in place, her thoughts wandering off as she wipes his face. 'What the hell happened, Red?'

Finishing with him, she rests his head on her lap, leaning on the wall of the tunnel as she waits for him to wake up.

'Guessing by the direction of the light, if we continue on this path, we'll reach Vermilion City. Damn it! I can't believe I sprained my leg and Red's whole arm is dislocated. At least we're alive, I guess.' She thought before carefully going through her options until she sees the light at the end of the tunnel changing to an orange hue. After a couple of hours, Red's eyes starts to flutter open, observing the area before he immediately notices the sleeping face of Leaf above him which causes him to blush a little when he lifts his good hand and pokes her cheek, making her face shake it off as she resumes sleeping.

Red tries to get up but felt an intense pain resonating through his arm which made him have to fall back and rest, waking up the brunette from her sleep before she starts rubbing her eyes and yawns. Noticing that her friend is awake, Leaf's eyes widen before she descends her head, making their foreheads until he hears sobbing sounds. He then tries, despite all the pain that he is in as of the moment, to comfort the girl by putting his hand on her shoulder patting her.

"I thought…I thought I was going to lose you. You were barely breathing." She said between sobs, tracing finger across Red's face. He once again attempts to get up but is once again awarded with failure however it is not due to the pain but to a force pushing him down as he looks up and sees a serious expression on Leaf's face.

"Oh no! You're resting. You thought your arm is the only thing that's fucked up. Your head was bleeding as well. I'm just glad that you're still alive from that." She scolded when she lean back on the wall. She then turns her head to look at the moonlight that is shining from the staircase of the tunnel. The boy tries once again to move, informing the brunette that he is ok and she should be worried about herself however it falls on deaf ears as he ends up back on her lap with her hands holding him in place.

"Sorry, Red. Can't do that." Leaf said sternly, much to her black haired companion's frustration before she whistled. When she did so, Luxio comes down the tunnel with some Berries before it sees its trainer conscious, hugging Red. Despite the pain that travelled through his body, Red tries his best to hug his Electric type partner with one hand as it snuggles against him.

"I'm glad that you're alright, Luxio." The teen said, his voice barely audible as he held a smile on his face.

_'I'm glad that you're alright as well, Master. You had me and everyone else worried.'_ Red heard from Lusio. Upon recognizing what happened, his smile fell before he opened his wide as he mentally exclaims what he is thinking.

'Wait. WHAAAAATTTT?'

**Sup, guys? Enigma here. Once again, sorry for the long chapter. I just wanted to get over this as much as possible and get out of the Cerulean City arc. Hope you like the chapter, we're almost to Vermilion City. Also, let me know how the story is so far. I made it that Team Rocket is a lot different and more secretive than they are in the games. Also, their Pokemon and teams have rare or powerful Pokemon with good moves because well, they're thieves so why should they play by the rules. Hope you like the fact that the tunnel battle. The blockout will take a while before it is cleared so they're unable to get to Cerulean City now. Like to know your feedbacks if you have any and please stay safe and healthy. Enigma out.**


	28. Chapter 27: Voices In My Head

Throughout life, Red had many weird and unusual encounters and situations but nothing could prepare him for what he's experiencing now. The teen sits down on the tunnel, preparing himself along with Leaf to go to Vermilion City however things are not as it seems. Changes were done and before the raven haired trainer knew it, he is right now having a decent conversation with his Electric type partner, Luxio however with one little twist, much to his disbelief.

He can understand what the Pokemon is saying.

_'You really can understand me, Master. That's really convenient.' _Red heard Luxio said, seeing the Pokemon laying down, trying its best to hold back its excitement. The teen put on his cap and got up before he releases his other Pokemon when he starts watching them wake up and speak with each other, much to his surprise as he understood them.

_'Man, I had a good sleep. Sup, Red?' _Beedrill said which Red recognizes to be a feminine voice. She then stretches its stingers before hovering in the air and going in front of Red, awaiting his commands. Seeing her trainer's bewildered expression, she then tries poking him to get a reaction out of the teen before Luxio stops her.

_'Hey! What's the big idea, Luxio?!'_ Beedrill said in an angered tone, raising her stingers at Luxio who simply scoffs as he walks away.

_'Stop it. Red is just surprised, like really surprised.'_

_'What would get him so shocked? Did the girl do something to him? Why I outta-'_

_'No. She didn't. She was surprisingly docile this time. Master can understand what we're saying.'_ The Electric type explained as he went towards the exit of the tunnel, leaving a surprised Beedrill surprised who followed him. Red follows the two Pokemon, still shocked at what is happening.

'I don't understand. Leaf told me that I had a huge hit on my head but…this is bizarre…' He thought, his hand tracing his chin while he's deep in thought.

As Red gets out of the tunnel, he is immediately entranced when a wave of gentle breeze hits him, making him feel extremely at peace. He gets knocked out of his trance when he hears Leaf's calling for him while she exits the tunnel, running to him.

"Why didn't you wait for me in the tunnel? I told you I wasn't going to take long." She said with a pout on her face, poking him in his chest.

Red simply chuckles slightly which rewarded a scoff from the brunette when she grabs his arm and drags him along the route. For an hour in the road, they wandered down the route, fighting trainers with Red observing wild Pokemon which earns a giggle from his brown haired companion. As they continue down the path to Vermilion, they notice something jump out of a patch of grass that startles Leaf who made a yelp. Hearing the sound made Red chuckle, making him receive a pouting glare from the brunette.

"That's not funny, Red." The brunette said, tackling her red capped counterpart before she starts pummeling him, earning another fit of laughter from him. She then pushes Red away and crossing her arms before she continues through the route, the raven haired teen simply looks at Beedrill who shrugs before saying. _'She's your girlfriend, Red. You gotta deal with it.'_

Red was about to say something until he was interrupted as hears something moving in the bushes, turning around before he sees a Meowth observing them curiously before saying. _'Sorry. Was I interrupting something?'_

"No, no. It's all good." The trainer said nervously, still awkward to the fact that he is able to understand Pokemon speech. The Normal type jumps in surprise, realizing that Red could understand it before it spoke again with a tone of disbelief. _'Y-you can understand me?'_

The trainer nodded which caused the cat to look at him in disbelief, making him laugh until he hears Leaf yelling at him to hurry up, giving Meowth a few Berries before he sprints towards her. After half an hour of trainer battles, they decide to take a breath as they take shelter under a tree from the sun, resting before the brunette takes out a box of sandwiches.

"Hope you like it. I made it for the trip. It's my family specialty." She mumbled.

Red takes one of the sandwiches, mouthing a 'thank you' before he bites into the food, his eyes sparkling before he continues eating his lunch. Seeing the look on his face brings a smile to Leaf's face, seeing him about to remove a crumb from his chin however she beats him to the punch, quickly removing it herself and tracing her finger across his cheeks. She then leans towards the teen, getting close to his face to the point that their nose are touching which earned a blush from Red and a giggle from the brunette. He tries to retreat only for her to hold him in place by the collar of his jacket, much to his dismay and to her delight when she starts rubbing their noses together.

"Could you please stop? Do you have to tease me everyday?" Red mumbled when he closed his eyes in embarrassment, giving the brunette the chance to snatch the piece of food stuck to the boy's face and eat it before she shook her head.

"Red, Red, Red. You have to understand. You're too adorable so I have to tease you on a daily basis." Leaf commented before she got even closer to the point that she could feel Red's breath and see his crimson eyes under his black hair which rewarded for her face to get even redder. "Also, I never got to thank you for helping me win my second badge. Aaand I plan to pay you for it."

Realizing that her companion is frozen in embarrassment, she licks her lips, about to touch the boy lips with her own. 'I wonder how his lips feel.'

Before she could proceed any further, she is startled when she hears a purr, jumping and knocking Red's hat before she falls to the ground. She then looks up in annoyance to see Meowth on the boy's shoulder, swaying its tail from side to side before yawning and taking a nap.

"What the?" Leaf said in confusion.

She watches Red as he looks at it before taking down the cat, gently holding it by the sides and then placing it on the ground. He then rubs under its chin which brings a satisfying purr from the Normal type Pokemon, much to his companion's surprise. The brunette gazes in awe as Red skillfully converses with Meowth before he sets it out to the wild. To Leaf's astonishment, the Pokemon jumps into the teen's bag, taking out a Great Ball and pressing on the button to let itself retract into the ball. Both teens see the ball shake until a clicking sound occurred, the sphere opening which lets the Pokemon out of the device and onto the boy's head, falling asleep.

"What the? Hey! That thing interrupted our moment! Not cool!" The brunette thought aloud before she pouted when she noticed her companion walking towards the ball, mumbling a bunch of words under her breath at the interruption.

Confusion covering his face, Red takes up the ball when he turns around and sees the look of jealously, crossing her arms. Taking up his hat, Leaf puts it on her head before she walks away, leaving a bewildered Red behind. As they walked throughout the route, they won several matches with trainers which resulted in Red's Clefairy learning Wake Up Slap and for Leaf's Roselia learning Giga Drain. During the battles, both trainers realize that Meowth is stronger than it brings itself, much to their amazement as both of them. This is true especially for Leaf who is used to the Pokemon lazing either on Red's head or in his bag. After a while, they take a break, eating and talking when both teenagers sees that Vermilion City is in sight, witnessing some of the huge buildings within the city along with seeing part of the SS. Anne until they both hear something in the grass. Leaf's eyes sparkle as she notices a Pokemon in the grass, making her way there with Red in tow. Clefairy and Meowth noticed something before they alerted their trainer of the creature hidden in the bushes.

_'Uhhh, boss. You better tell your girlfriend there that she should be careful.'_ Clefairy said, on alert as it jumped off Red's shoulder, holding itself in a battle stance. Sensing something in the grass, surprise took the teen's mind as he spoke with his Pokemon. "She's not my girlfriend, Clefairy. Also, what do you mean? What's going on?"

_'Something is there and it ain't natural.'_

"Not natural? Meowth, is it someone you know or seen before?"

_'Nope. Never seen or know someone like this…but…'_ Meowth responds before yawning.

"But…"

_'I agree with Clefairy. What she is about to encounter is not your everyday Pokemon on this route. It's something completely different.'_ Meowth said in a sleepy tone, yawning before it went back to sleep.

As Leaf approaches the Pokemon, the atmosphere starts changing and become silent which did not go unnoticed by Red. The same cannot be said for his female companion who is too distracted and focused with sneaking up on the Pokemon. The teen then senses something, his body moving on its own when he tackles Leaf out of the way, they both seeing a bright blue blast going through the road, causing a huge explosion that shakes the entire area. Watching the result of the blast, they both turn around to see a Pokemon that they have never seen before, the air around it looking like it is being distorted. Red looks around the area to see that everyone is standing still like statues, turning his gaze to the Pokemon in front of them which is a black human looking creature with a purple face and a very unique hairstyle which looks similar to a gothic woman with a very long dress.

Noticing the two trainers, it glares at them before it outstretches its hands before Meowth dashes forward and claps its paws together, knocking it off guard when Leaf pulls out her Pokedex, scanning it until she is able to get a find.

_"Gothitelle, the Astral Body Pokemon and the final evolution of Gothita. Starry skies thousands of light-years away are visible in the space distorted by their intense psychic power."_

Hearing the explanation, the brunette looked towards the Pokemon with a smirk on her face as she held the brim of the red hat on her head which made Red feel uneasy as Meowth retreated to his side. 'Oh no. I never like that smirk.'

"Uhh…Leaf. I think we should leave." He said, concerned for what his female companion.

"No way. This will be a good catch."

"Yeah. It would be but it looks strong. Like super strong. Plus you saw what it did a while ago."

"Exactly! That's why I want it."

"But…"

"Who cares, Red? I'm gonna catch it. If we could survive the incident at Underground tunnel, we can take on anything." Leaf said as she sends out her Wartortle who was ready for battle. As soon as it gazes at the blue eyes of Gothitelle, the water starter became frozen with fear, sensing the immense psychic power of the Pokemon and did not move when its trainer made a command, much to the two trainers' confusion.

_'Not many Pokemon can handle the pressure of fighting a creature that is several times stronger than it, especially if it's a Psychic type. It takes real guts and mental strength to even move in their presence, much less attack.'_ Meowth explained before looking over to Red as he called out Luxio, who was ready for battle, unaffected by the Psychic type's glare, much to both Gothitelle's and Meowth's surprise. "It's not our first rodeo. Right, Luxio?"

_'You got that right. Let's show them how it's done.'_

"We're not fighting it. We just need time to escape."

_'Got it.'_ The Electric type agreed before they both, along with Leaf, heard a voice going through their heads.

_'Get away from here now. This is a warning. Don't expect a second one.'_

"It talks?!" The brunette said in panic when she felt her hand being held, seeing Red beside her with a serious expression.

"She's speaking to us telepathically." He explained to her which caught the attention of the Gothitelle when she vanished into thin air, appearing in front of him. _'On second thought, I might have to kill you. You might be dangerous if left unchecked.'_

Noticing that it is preparing for an attack, Red immediately pushes Leaf out of the way along with Clefairy and Meowth, Luxio getting ready to attack. _'Ready when you are, Red.'_

"Use Spark and then Bite!" Red commanded. Luxio immediately moves as its body starts crackling before it is covered in electricity which increases its speed when it darts through the area. As it was about to attack, Gothitelle uses a move on the teen, making him slowly descend to the floor which he tries to endure and fight back however it intensified the gravity, making him glued to the floor, much to his dismay as it countered his Pokemon's attack, knocking it to the side.

"Red!" Leaf shouted, worried.

"Use Charge now." Red commanded Luxio, trying his best to get up from the ground which proved to be futile. He then recognize Luxio and Leaf's looks of worry on him. "We need to overpower her. I'll…be alright…"

Witnessing what is happening, Leaf glares at her opponent with venom in her eyes before she turns her gaze to Wartortle who is still frozen in fear and Red who is stuck to the ground, him and Luxio trying their best to stop and hold off when he turns to her and tells her to escape. "This is all my fault."

She then looks down at the ground, frustrated until she takes out Roselia who is too calm and happy despite the dire situation that is going on.

"Roselia, I need your help. Use Stun Spore. Not too much for it to recognize the attack though." The brunette explained to which the Thorn Pokemon nodded before it got to work, outstretching its arms and releasing a faint powder from its flowers. The girl then walks over to her Wartortle, looking it in the face before she laid her hands on its shoulder and shook it which got it out of its stupor. She then hugged it as she whispered. "What's wrong, Wartortle? Are you ok?"

She does not receive a response from the Water type, seeing that it's still frozen which saddened her. For all her time with her starter, she has never seen it act this way before. She then hugs it tighter, muttering apologies to it. She then sees Red's Luxio gets attacked before Gothitelle turns its sight on her friend, seeing that he's trying his best to move only for it to knock him back down to the floor.

"I'm sorry…but don't worry, Wartortle. I'm here with you. We'll get through this like we always do. We're not gonna let anything get in our way, especially a Pokemon that looks like it has eyeliner." Leaf said in understanding before they heard grunts of pain, seeing that Gothitelle increased the pressure, making Red's body slam through the ground, creating a crater. Seeing that the teen is grinning despite the intense pain and discomfort, Gothitelle's eye starts to twitch as she increased the pressure. _'Why don't you just give up and die? You know that you or your friend is no match for me, right?'_

"And? Yes, I know you're stronger but I'm not dying yet." Red said, glaring at his attacker. He then turns to Leaf who looks to be getting ready to run away. "At least not until she escapes…"

_'I knew it! You are able to understand our speech. Not most humans have that special ability. If you continue living, you might be a threat to my master in the future and I can't have that.'_ The Pokemon said in a venomous tone which caused a chill to run up Red's spine. The raven haired teenager looks up to see that it's charging a dark sphere of energy in its right arm before it points the move to him. As seconds pass by, the attack increases in strength, kicking up wind which causes Leaf and Luxio to shield their eyes from the sand that is swaying away due to the force of the move.

"Oh no! That's Dark Pulse. It's planning to kill Red." The brunette realized. Her eyes widening when she see him smile at her and telling her to go before she barely noticing Meowth and Clefairy rushing towards the Psychic type in order to aid their trainer only to be quickly knocked out. Fear took her expression as she looks at the unconscious Pokemon in front of her before she sees Luxio charging itself, the electricity starting to go wild as it did so. Her eyes then darts to Red, who is able to gain some mobility to use his slingshot despite his dislocated arm, shooting a ball to Gothitelle who dodges the projectile and waves her hands to his direction which sends a force of psychic energy that sends him into a tree, adding to her fear and worry as she muttered to herself. "H-How… powerful is this Pokemon?"

Hearing her, the Psychic type turns its face to her before it approaches her, the brunette stepping back as it does so, much to Red's worry as he tried to get up but still realized that he is still under the effects of Gravity. Leaf then falls to the ground, continuing to retreat before she notices her Roselia shoot a blast of green energy which Gothitelle defends against however is too slow to do so when it fell prey to the attack which drained it of its energy as orbs come out of it and travel to the Grass type.

"Nice one, Rosel-" The brunette stopped when she noticed that the Psychic type still stood tall, unaffected by the move when it outstretched and shot the Dark Pulse at her. Fear gripped her, her body unable to move despite her wanting to be anywhere but here. Leaf just wanted a regular day. A day of fun from the events that occurred from the tunnel yesterday. A day with her friend Red. Thinking about him, she looks at his direction to see him yelling, unable to her anything as her mind blocks every noise around her.

'I'm sorry…' She thought, shaking uncontrollably before she turns her eyes to her attacker. She tries her best to harden her expression but it fails due to the immense fear that she feels at the moment as she simply waits for the blow, shutting her eyes. She hears the attack being shot, bracing herself as the last thing she heard was an explosion.

Everything is now silent.

Now, she could only hear nothing as she felt only the wind of the attack, tears fall out of her eyes as memories flood her brain. After the memories all pass away, she soon realizes that she could still hear her heartbeat and breathing.

She opens her eyes to see that the attack missed, seeing Gothitelle in pain before she sees both Meowth and Clefairy biting its arm as it shakes them off its arm. Wondering how they are not fainted, she then sees Beedrill in the distance with two Revives on its stingers. Able to shake off the two and angered by the fact that it got flinched by their attacks, Gothitelle looks towards Red, intensifying the gravity to the point of the boy forced into the ground, much to Leaf's worry before she made her command. "C'mon. Roselia. Magical Leaf."

Roselia obeys as it does so, the attack hitting the Psychic type before it let out a blue sphere from its hand, knocking out Roselia instantly. It then notices Meowth and Clefairy rushing it again, sending another blast to knock them out unconscious as well, much to Red's worry. "Are…you guys ok?"

When he doesn't get a reply, his eyes widen before he sees his attacker's hand starts to crackle and glow with electricity before it shoots it at Leaf, who is barely able to get up due to the last attack.

"Use Spark and stop the attack and hit Gothitelle with everything you've got, Luxio." Red yelled at the top of his lungs, becoming lightheaded as he said this. Forgetting about Luxio, Gothitelle did not notice when it vanished from its spot and blocked its attack. Before it could react, it sees a blinding light coming towards it, causing an explosion that shook the area which made both Red and Leaf to shield their eyes.

'Woah! It looks like a Raichu using Volt tackle.' The brunette thought. As the light subsides, smoke remain as Luxio retreats from it, slightly panting from the move it just used.

Feeling the effects of the move Gravity being stopped, Red quickly returned all of his Pokemon before he runs away, bringing Leaf who is limping towards him as they took the chance to escape, not willing to wait on the results of the attack. As the smoke clears, their eyes widen in horror as they see Gothitelle, its body slightly dirtied as it gazes at both trainers with eyes of pure rage that had the duo along with Luxio frozen in fear.

_'That…actually hurt.'_ It said in a menacingly calm manner before it shot a Dark Pulse, instantly knocking Luxio unconscious. Before both teens could react to what happened, it then summons a Thunderbolt at Wartortle, making it unable to continue as it descends to the floor out cold. _'THAT actually hurts!'_

It then glares at them, its eyes glowing as it intensifies the gravity on both trainers, having them glued to the floor before it charges a Dark Pulse in its hands. Seeing the attack get bigger, Red fought through the Gravity, using all his strength to muscle through the move however was rewarded with hardly any success as he could only move his right arm slowly. Leaf sees her friend struggling to move, her doing the same but failing as all she could do is grit her teeth.

'Move body! Move!' Red mentally shouted at himself, trying to move as much as he could. 'C'mon! Move! Not again! Not like that time! Not again!'

Leaf tries to move her left hand in the crater, awarded with little success as her hand, despite being stuck on the ground, slowly moving it along and then holding Red's own which made him look at her, seeing tears coming out of her eyes. Seeing this, he grips her hand as strongly as he could.

'I need to get her out of here.' He thought as he was about to get out Beedrill's Pokeball only to be stopped when Leaf does not let go of his hand, clamping her eyes shut.

_'You know what? On second thought…'_ Gothitelle paused as she stops the attack, her mouth turning into a smirk that made chills go down both of her victims' spines.

The Pokemon put its hand on both teens' head before using Thunderbolt, electrocuting them as they both scream at the top of their lungs in pain. As the Psychic type tortures the duo, it stops its attack which leaves both trainers falling on the ground before its hands starts glowing, the look in its eyes showing the sheer craziness within its glint. _'It'll be more fun to break you instead.'_

Gothitelle then puts her hands on the trainers head, using its psychic abilities to mentally torture them with a sickening smile on its face. Feeling an immense headache, Leaf grips onto Red's hand like her life depends on it, her brain feeling like it is being ripped apart. Having to endure the mental attack, the brunette didn't notice Beedrill being released, sneaking up on the Psychic type before landing a hit that stunned it, allowing the two trainers to be out of its grasp. Opening her eyes and confused by what's going on, she had no time to think as she was dragged by Red, running away from Gothitelle with Beedrill.

After minutes of running, they both took a break as Leaf falls to the ground, panting heavily as she looks at Red, who is leaning by a tree. She smiles as she scoots over to him, looking at his arm and body to see multiple bruises before she turns to look at the direction of Vermilion City.

'We need to go to Vermilion City. He can't stay like this.' The brunette thought. Worried about her friend's wellbeing, she picks up her friend, asking Red's Beedrill who happily assisted. As she was about to go forward, the Bug type suddenly got knocked to a tree, much to the teens' surprise. Both of them turn to see Gothitelle who immediately shoots a Dark Pulse at them, Leaf getting pushed out of the way by Red as he takes the attack, getting thrown past a tree by the move. The brunette gets up only to be glued to the floor as the Psychic type looks at her with a scary glare as it mentally whispers to her. _'You stay there and enjoy the show.'_

Leaf could only watch with tears in her eyes as Gothitelle levitates Red into the air, bringing him towards it. As the teen came face to face with the Psychic type, it observes the boy before it looks at his arm, touching it.

'That's got to suck. Your arm is broken. Don't worry, I'll make it better.' It said, gaining looks of confusion from both teens. Before they could think about it, Red next hand immediately gets forcibly bent into an unnatural shape, earning a scream of pain from him and a gasp from Leaf. The brunette could only watch as Gothitelle breaks another limb, this time being his right foot then his left, disassembling and ripping him apart like a child with their toy. The sounds and visuals of the scene was too much, making her vomit at the sight of a crippled Red.

_'This toy is too noisy. Where's the volume on this thing?'_ Gothitelle said, walking around the screaming teen before it did something that made Leaf's heart fell.

In one swift motion, it twists Red neck, breaking it. The sounds alone made the brunette erupt in tears as the Psychic type made her keep her eyes open to witness as the boy squirms helplessly before he stops moving.

_'Ah finally! Some peace and quiet!'_ It said, throwing the raven haired teen's body beside Leaf who is sobbing heavily. Able to move due to Gravity not being used, she crawls to her friend, hugging him and pleading for everything to be a dream. She was unprepared for what happened next, seeing Red's neck crick back to place and his eyes opening, seeing completely black eyes which made her retreat from him.

"Why, Leaf? Why did you do this?" Red said in an eerily tone. The voice that came from the teen made shivers come across Leaf's body. She tries to get away but she comes to a stop before she feels a hand on her foot, turning to see her friend mounting her before saying. "Why did you kill me?"

Seeing what happens to her friend made Leaf speechless as she is able to close her eyes, not able to hear anything before she hears Gothitelle's voice. _'Oh! What's this here? It looks lovely. Let's play this.'_

Leaf opens her eyes to see fire. Everything around her is on fire. Books burning, smoke erupting, screams filling the air. When she turns to see a book in her hand and the sign, she steps back as she shakes her head. "This is…n-no…"

_'Like it? I found it deep in the recesses of your mind. Thought I should give you a hand and make you remember since you had a hard time to.'_ Gothitelle said before cackling.

Looking around and seeing what looks to be a burning library, the brunette starts shaking uncontrollably as she held her side, remembering the place that she was trying her hardest to forget as her mouth mutters the name. 'Pallet…Academy…'

She could not get time to think when a wooden column falls on her, hitting her and making her stuck as she tries to move. She then feel a familiar burning sensation to her abdomen as she tries harder to move the column, screaming for help and yelling in pain. After what felt like hours, Leaf gave up and leans back, tears travelling from her eyes as she simply waits for the inevitable. Halfway into unconsciousness, she heard sounds by the entrance, her eyes lazily before she sees a silhouette in front of her. However when she watches the silhouette get to her, one thing about the person made her surprised when she notices something about their features, her mouth explaining what her mind is saying.

"R-red eyes…?"

She was interrupted when she hears a voice out of nowhere which startles her.

"Stop, Gothitelle."

As the voice said this, making Gothitelle instantly stop as it turns around to look at its trainer. With the effects of Gravity being slightly lifted, Red sees a man in long white hair, wearing a greyish uniform with a red 'R' on it as he approached the two. 'Team Rocket?'

He then looks at Leaf to see that she is still under the psychic influence, shaking her out of it as he calls her name. After a few shakes, the brunette slowly came to be, her eyes laying on Red before she pushes him away from her, looking at him in fear, much to his confusion. 'Leaf?'

"My apologies for my Gothitelle's behavior. She tends to get a little riled up when she doesn't get things her way. Takes this as a sign of apology." The man said in a cold voice. The man then searches in his pocket, putting something on the floor before walking beside his Pokemon. Hearing what its master said, Gothitelle simply scoffs as it starts to vanish along with its master however what spooked Red was the last words that the man said before he disappeared.

"Be glad that to live another day, children. I hope that we don't cross paths again."

As the man disappeared, Red notice that people are moving before he returns all his fainted Pokemon in their Pokeball before he looks towards Vermilion City, realizing that it's not that far away.

"Hey, Leaf. If we continue now, we can reach Vermilion by nightfall or by the earliest 6 PM." He mumbled before he turned around and saw something that made him shocked. Leaf peed herself, trembling on the floor with a look of pure fear and horror on her face as tears freely flowed from her eyes. He runs up to her, picking her up to which she pushes him away, looking at him in fear before she starts to relax, getting up from the floor before he takes her hand and took her to the city. Along the way, he makes sure to avoid as much trainers as possible, the entire journey being quiet. By nightfall, they were able to reach the city, seeing the sign by the entrance that said "Welcome to Vermilion City".

Immediately finding a Pokemon Center by the entrance and deciding to spend the night there, Red orders for a room and gets their Pokemon healed. During getting dinner for them, Leaf was silent however tried her best to at least eat some of the food which is not a lot as she wears a broken expression. After dinner and they bath and prepared themselves for bed, the raven haired trainer said goodnight before he walks into the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror.

"Damn. I look terrible." He said as he sees the tired look on his face. As he finishes, he then starts vomiting in the toilet at remembering the events that occurred earlier, finishing as he looks at the bowl. "Well, there goes my dinner."

After flushing the toilet, he goes into the room and turns off the lights before going to bed. As he almost drifts to sleep, he feels the bed shake, thinking it was Luxio on the bed as he continues sleeping. However, as he felt trembling and heard a voice that was definitely not Luxio, he turns over to see Leaf's trembling form as she sits on the bed.

Feeling worried for her, Red touches her hand which made her jump and retreats before she looks at him. "Are you ok?"

Hearing that question, she simply shakes her head slowly. Red then gets up and sits beside her, putting a hand on her shoulder which made Leaf feel jump at first but immediately feel comfortable as she leans on his shoulder, making him feel awkward. 'Uhh… what do I do in this situation? What would Dad do in this situation?'

"I…I always wanted to be a powerful trainer. Someone that cannot be held down by anyone or anything. I wanted to make something for myself. I don't wanna be known as Commissioner Green's daughter." She said, pausing to let out a sigh as she continued. "Before, I thought a Pokemon journey will be just that. Going around the regions, collecting gym badges, beating bad guys at every corner, being awesome but…"

She pauses, much to her companion's confusion as he racks his mind to think of a way to make her feel more comfortable.

_'Just put your arm around her already.'_ Red heard a voice, seeing Meowth in the corner of the room who is pretending to sleep. _'It's all right. You can do it.'_

She starts trembling uncontrollably which does not go unnoticed by Red as he awkwardly puts his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder, making her be able to continue. "...when I started my journey, everything went as planned, I was able to get a starter, I caught my first Pokemon and I was able to make my dad proud. Hell, I even won my first Pokemon battle."

Hearing this made Red think about his journey and how it started with everything almost being hopeless on the first day. No starters, no home, no friends. He almost had to wait for almost a month on the outside before he met Pikachu. When he remembered Pikachu, he tries hard to fight back his tears only for one to escape his eye when he remembered the events that happened next, meeting Shinx and then almost getting killed by Devin and the men from Viridian City. Reminiscing those events simply made rage boil in Red's stomach as he starts clenching his fist. As he replays the events, he realizes one thing.

The start of his journey was not a good one. As he went through his thoughts, he was knocked out of his stupor when he heard Leaf continue. "Even my first gym was a dusey. Plus, I get to meet a sweetie like you."

As she said this, she pinches his cheek, gaining a bashful blush from the teen which made a giggle escape her mouth. She then smiles as she continues, her frown appearing instantly. "Everything went great until…Mt. Moon. It wasn't that bad honestly but I always wanted a Clefairy since pre-school. So you could imagine how frustrated, huh?"

Saying this, she chuckled as she turns to look at Clefairy.

_'Well, don't look at me. I'm with the boss through thick and thin. Least I can do for him saving my family.'_ The pink fairy stated as it turns over in the bed.

"Not being able to catch one, let alone see them was the worst thing that could happen to me…at the time. Then there was the Team Rocket fiasco at Mt. Moon. I was so worried…about you." This surprised Red when he sees her look at him with tears threatening to spill from her eyes, making him wipe them away when she resume.

"I was so worried. I didn't want to lose you. You're too precious…like a cinnamon roll." She stated, trying to take an upbeat tone which failed as Red could still hear the fear in her voice.

"I tried everything to get my mind off it, telling myself you'll be ok. And you know the rest…I know I'm supposed to take care of myself. I'm almost an adult but…does it hurt to want someone to talk to?" She said before sighing letting all her weight fall on Red.

"That Gothitelle…it showed me just how weak I was. I thought I changed but… I was so stupid. So…" Tears starts travelling down the brunette's face, her hands travelling to hold onto anything that they can use as support which is Red. "…stupid I am. I'm…so dumb. So…stupid."

Leaf's sentences became incoherent until she sobs, holding tightly onto Red like he is her life support. Understanding the girl's pain, he comforts her while she cries. Calming down, she gets up and walks over to her side of the room as she silently whispers something to her roommate. "Thank you."

Hearing her, he smiles before he gives her a thumbs up as she goes to the bathroom with a smile on her face. Red then lays down, looking at the ceiling and thinking until he sees Leaf hover over him with a pillow in her hand before she jumps onto the bed beside him, much to his confusion as he stares at her in confusion.

"Can I…sleep with you…please?" She said, trembling and fidgeting in embarrassment, receiving no response from the teen to look at him to see him scoot over in the bed, holding Clefairy while doing so. He then nods while patting her spot, giving the sheet as he is getting too tired and sleepy by the second.

Leaf smiles before an idea pop in her head, acting upon it as she climbs over the bed, putting herself before the boy and wrapping her arms and legs around him, bringing her face close to his as she made a whisper. "You know, you're adorable when you're blushing."

"Do you…live off teasing…me?" He says in a sleepy tone, earning a giggle from the brunette.

"Yes."

"Can…you let me…go?"

"Hmmm…no. I'm still thinking of a reward for Cerulean."

"You…don't need…to. I'm happy to help…" Red said, slowly dosing off. He then tries moving himself which immediately due to her position holding him in place before he give up and shut his eyes, too tired to fight back. Seeing that he quickly fell asleep, Leaf smiles as she moves his hair from his eyes, kissing his forehead and cheek before she said something before getting some shut eye herself.

"Thanks."

Meowth looks at the two trainers before looking out at the moon. _'That girl is gonna be the death of him.'_

**Phew! How did you like that? I kinda went all out in this chapter, very sorry if that was too much. I really feel bad for putting Leaf and Red through this cause I really like them however you know… blah blah blah character development and stuff like that. Also, I used Gothitelle's Pokedex description as a way to showcase its strength as it can alter reality and junk. Also, new moves and a new team member. Don't worry, Leaf will also soon get a new team member. I might soon put a poll with what other Pokemon would go on Red and Leaf's party respectively. I literally don't know what to name this chapter so it might be a hit or not. Also, thanks for everything. Here's a secret: Thanks for the views and likes and please stay safe guys. Hope y'all like the story and don't chicken out in telling me your thoughts on it so far. Enigma out!**


	29. Chapter 28: A Break In Vermilion

Fire.

It is everywhere. Engulfing everything in sight. Leaf is stuck, forced to watch as the flames dance around her. She squirms, trying her best to escape only to fail miserably, tears coming out of her eyes as she remembers the people she love most.

"Dad…mom…Kim and the others…I'm really going to die here…" She cried, flailing and trying to wiggle herself as much as possible but no avail. For what felt like hours, Leaf could not move. She waited and waited, feeling impatient as the flames surrounding slowly engulf the books and tables, slowly making their way to her. She then heard noises, her eyes darting around at the sound of something that is different from the burning of the building. She hears a person voice.

"Is there someone out there?" She said, her happiness present in her voice. She then sees a silhouette of a person by the doorway. She was glad that someone has come however they left at the entrance, returning with a steel pipe in their hands until they walked closer to her which made fear rise in her veins.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Leaf said, trying to retreat but unable to due to her lack of mobility because of the column that is over her. The person gets close to her, hovering over her with the metal stick while the flames dance around them. Despite being close, she could not see them, she could not hear them.

All she could see is their red eyes, glaring at her until they swing the steel pipe, the sound of impact signaling the end of the dream.

Leaf jolts up in panic, awake and panting heavily at the nightmare she has while her eyes darts around the room in shock. 'What the hell was that?'

She then looks in front of her before she is greeted with the sight of Red's sleeping face which made her face turn three times the shade of pink. She then looks down to see that her hands and feet are tightly wrapped around him, much to her embarrassment and unexpected glee.

'Oh yeah! I forgot I asked.' Leaf mentally said as she saw the look of her companion's sleeping face, removing one of her hands and playing with his hair. 'Red eyes, huh?'

She continues playing with his face for a while, taking opportunity of Red's exhaustion from previous events that have transpired before he opens his eyes. As he looks at her, he groans and yawns before he tells her "good morning" to which she returns, her face going from pink to a darker color.

"You slept like a Snorlax, sweetie?" Leaf said seductively as Red. He looks at her tiredly before he tries to get up, forgetting his dilemma when he sighs. "Leaf… is it possible for you to let me go?"

"Hmm… maybe." The brunette said. She then blows in his ear which made him jump, much to her amusement. "Sorry. You can't. You're under arrest and I'm taking you into custody."

"Under arrest?! For what?"

"Being too adorable." Leaf said bluntly, making Red blink before he mumbles. "…is it possible for me to not be adorable then?"

"That's literally impossible. You are too precious." When she says this, Red's face fell as he looks away.

"That's not what other people think. They think of me as a freak of nature." Hearing this, Leaf pouts before she pinches her roommate's cheeks, earning a pained gasp from him.

"Have more confidence in your pretty little face. I say it looks cute. It looks cute, ok. They're just blind."

"…Thanks for that, Leaf." Red said, smiling while his crimson eyes shining along with the sunlight. Witnessing this, Leaf had a poker face while looking at the teen however in her mind, there was a hurricane of thoughts going on as she was panicking at the image before her. 'Yep! Waaaay more adorable than you think.'

When she said this, she got out of bed instantly, trying her best not to drool on her way to the bathroom and get herself ready, much to Red's confusion and relief. After both trainers have gotten themselves ready, they headed to the cafeteria, releasing their Pokemon and letting them eat as well. During their breakfast, Leaf notices how well tamed Meowth is despite being caught yesterday by Red.

"How are you able to deal with Meowth so well? They are pretty tricky and it takes a lot for them to open up to you." She said, taking a bite out of her sandwich as she waited for a response. The teen turns to the Pokemon, rubbing it under its chin which earns a purr from it before he switches his gaze back to the brunette.

_'She makes it sound like I'm a force of nature. I'm just your regular everyday Normal type Pokemon.'_ Meowth said before she starts eating again until Clefairy interrupted. _'I mean, is she wrong?'_

_'Hmm… I dunno…' _The Scratchcat Pokemon thought before returning to her food.

"I have an uncle who has a Persian. Whenever he comes over, he always lets me play with her. Before I know it, he sometimes let me take care of her, leaving her over to teach me on how to deal with Pokemon." Red explained as he wipes the coin on its head, making it shiny which made the Normal type happy as it returned and ate its meal. "Mom never likes it but Dad managed to convince her, telling her that I'm going to learn sooner or later."

_'Mama likes a clean coin. I really do.'_ Meowth purrs gleefully.

Leaf then realizes the look on the teen's face before she takes his cap, posing like a detective and questions him. "Your uncle had a Persian, huh? What was your uncle like?"

"My uncle is a rare Pokemon fanatic. He works a lot so he doesn't get to visit much. He searches for rare Pokemon all around the region whenever he gets a break from work. Someone is always with him because he tends to get too focused on doing so. He's also obsessed with legendary Pokemon, hoping to just meet one in his lifetime." Red stated as he looked at the time.

"So he's like a Pokemaniac?" Leaf concluded, with a smirk on her face. The raven haired teen smiles before he corrects her. "A cool Pokemaniac."

"So how are you feeling?" Red said worried. The question causes Leaf to remember the event, inviting a chill to go up her spine, shaking uncontrollably until Red holds her hand which calms her down before she starts smiling.

"I'm feeling better, thanks to a certain someone who accompanied me in bed in last night." Leaf said seductively with a mischievous smirk on her face. She then starts tracing her finger along Red's arm, making the boy retreat with a blush on his face before she continues, giggling. "Who knew you were so passionate in bed?"

"You gotta stop doing that. We're teenagers and people may have the wrong ideas." Red said, trying his best to hide his blush. Leaf smiles at the expressions of her red capped companion when she holds his hands in hers. "Let them. Everyone's entitled to their own opinions. Plus, I like being a bad girl."

Red sighs as he takes another bite, seeing Leaf's sullen expression under her smile before he gets an idea. As they ate their breakfast, they got ready as the brunette asked a question. "So what are we going to do today? I'd like to go to the SS. Anne party but they're not opening until Monday."

Red puts his hand on his chin, thinking before he was interrupted by Leaf. "We could also go to the Pokemon Gym as well. I heard that this gym leader is an Electric type specialist."

She awaits for the boy's answer as her Pokegear ringing, taking out the device and answering it before she hears a familiar voice.

"Heeeey, Leaf!"

"Kim!"

"How are ya, girl?"

"Umm. I'm ok…I'm here in Vermilion City right now. Thinking about what to do?"

"Really?! What about this? I'll meet you at the Pokemon Center and we'll have a girls' day out! Noelle and Amber are gonna be with us."

"Girls' day out? I dunno…" Leaf commented in concern. She then glances at Red who nods at her with a thumbs up which made her smile before she agrees to go with her friend. "Ok, Kim. I'm game!"

"Awesome! I'll be at the Center in 10 minutes. Toodles!" Kimberley said as the call ended. She then lifts her gaze at Red with a look of worry as she apologizes. "I'm sorry, Red. If only I knew…"

"It's alright, Leaf." She apologized before Red flicked her forehead. This earns a yelp from the girl, causing him to hold his laughter when she starts punching his chest with a pout on her face. "Don't worry. I was planning on doing something today. We can check the gym and go around the city tomorrow. How's that?"

Leaf puts a hand on her chin, thinking about it before nodding and said. "It's a date!"

"It's not a da-"

"C'mon, Red. You should know me by now, sweetie." The brunette said, winking at him. Red simply sighs before he looks at the time, saying. "Well, I'm about to go. Later."

As he said this, he sprints off towards Route 6 while she waves him off before waiting for her friend. After fifteen minutes have passed, Leaf finds herself playing with her Buneary before she notices her friend, Kimberley, looking around aimlessly which made a mischievous smirk appear on her face. Putting the Normal type on her head, she sneaks up behind the girl, jumping and shouting. "Boo!"

Frightened, Kim screams at the top of her lungs before she turns around and sees Leaf, her face immediately change from surprise to anger.

"Leaf! That's not cool! Why the hell would you do that? My heart nearly hopped out of my chest!" The girl whined, chasing the brunette across the entrance of the Pokemon Center. After a few minutes of running, both girls sit by a bench, panting heavily before they start laughing.

"Man. It's good to see you again, Leaf."

"Same, Kim."

As the girls finish taking a break, they both get up and traverse the city, looking at the various attractions along the way. After some sightseeing, they both stop by the shopping store, the surrounding people noticing that the tension is rising before the two girls look at each other.

"So Leaf, are you ready for the greatest challenge in your life?" Kimberley asked with a serious expression.

"Kim, Kim, Kim. You know I never back down from a challenge."

"Alright. The goal today is getting some clothes for the SS. Anne party. We need to get the best of the best if we're gonna rock out after the tournament."

"Alright, you're on!" Leaf said confidently. She was about to continue before something came up to her mind, making her confused as she turns to the bluenette. "Wait! Tournament?"

"Yeah! There's a tournament being held on the SS. Anne in a few days. It's gonna last for a whole week. After that is the party." Kimberley explained before she went into the store, her eyes gleaming with excitement at the numerous clothes within the interior. Leaf turns her gaze towards the huge cruise ship, the SS. Anne, with her mind bubbling in curiosity for the upcoming event before she walked inside the shop. 'The tournament. I'm gonna check on that later. Right now, shopping.'

Fishing for clothes and trying different outfits on for almost an hour, the brunette settles with a long black and green dress with dark red heels and a pair of aquamarine gloves, much to her delight as she looked herself in the mirror. "Man, I rock this. Just a little change to my hairstyle and I'm alright."

'I wonder how Red would think of this.' She thought, picturing Red blushing furiously before hiding his face with either his jacket or cap. The thought made a giggle escape her mouth before she sees a pink blush on her face in the mirror which surprises her as she tries to hide it. As she was finished, she sees Kimberley come out of the closet, holding a dark blue dress in her hands, sprinting towards the cashier in order to buy it, earning a slow laugh from Leaf. 'She does not waste time…'

After buying their clothing, Leaf spots something from the side of her eye, taking it up. Observing the item made a smile appear on her face before she buys it and puts it in her bag. 'This is gonna look good on him.'

Finishing shopping, the two girls continue wandering about Vermilion City, checking clothing stores, the Pokemart and various other places before they decide to take a break, making their way to a restaurant. When the duo went inside, Kim dragged Leaf to a table with a bunch of individuals that the brunette immediately recognized.

"Emma! Noelle! You guys are here!" Leaf exclaimed as she tackled and enveloped both girls in a group hug which they returned. After they finished hugging, they all sat down, talking about their experiences on their journeys before the brunette remembered something.

"Hey! How's your little brother Trace, Emma?" After the question was asked, Emma, a girl with long brown hair tied in a ponytail and dark brown eyes who is wearing a long sleeve black blouse with the face of an Umbreon on it and a skirt with a Bellossom print on it, starts twirling her finger in her hair before she answers. "He's alright. You know him, looking up to Blue. Dude's his role model. So sad."

"Is that so bad?" Noelle, a tanned girl with black hair tied in twintails and hazel eyes who is wearing a red and yellow short sleeve blouse with black tights that stop at her knees, asked in a confused and innocent tone which had everyone looking at her like she had grown a second head. "I mean my cousin, Elaine, looks up to Leaf here. Sooo what's wrong with that?"

"It's Blue, Noelle. Blue! Blue Oak! Blue. Motherfucking. Oak! Why would you want him as a role model?! He's selfish and disrespectful to literally everyone." Kimberley said, irritated. She then tries to calm herself while pinching the bridge of her nose. "I understand that he's the grandson of Professor Oak but does he have to be a dick about it. Like really?!"

The girls nodded in agreement when Kimberley continues muttering. "I don't understand how Yellow puts up with him. She's such an angel compared to him."

"I dunno…" Emma pondered as she took a bite of her burger, slurping her juice as she continued. "They argue alot. Also, she has a bit of a temper herself. Things can get ugly when you get her on her bad side."

"Yeah. Like what happened to her friend." Noelle said while taking a bite of her lunch.

"Her 'used to be friend'?" Emma corrected.

"Used to be…friend?" Leaf repeated, her hand stuck in midair with food as she anxiously waited for an explanation.

"Yeah. Remember the Pallet Academy fire? The dude who did it used to be Blue and Yellow's friend. She hated his guts after that." Emma muttered, shuddering at the time she saw the look on Yellow's face after the accident.

"I can't blame her for that. Dude's a fucking asshat!" Noelle said angrily while eating her fries as the rest of the girls nodded except for Leaf who is still baffled.

Leaf eats her fries as her mind wanders about the accident that engulfed Pallet Academy, remembering the nightmare she had this morning before she touches her stomach and tracing her fingers against it, feeling a scar.

'I wonder…was it where I got this scar from. Mom and Dad never tell me anything about the incident.' She thought before she remembers seeing someone with glowing red eyes in the vision, the sight making her tremble until she is able to calm herself.

Her memories about the time of the incident was hazy to which the doctors diagnosed as amnesia due to shock. Despite her parents not telling her any details about it, Kimberley told her that she was a victim of the accident. Her grip tightened as she felt nothing but anger and fear for the individual that caused the incident however her grip loosened when she remembers the silhouette in the picture and how much the eyes look similar to a certain red capped trainer that she's travelling with. 'It couldn't be…could it?'

Realizing Leaf's change in attitude, Kimberly racks her mind about how to change the topic before she got interrupted, hearing the brunette asked one question. "What...was the person like?"

The girls pause, seeing the serious expression that was printed on the brunette's face before Noelle starts explaining. "Not much was said about him. He's mysterious. But I think Yellow said that he was quiet. Others said he was a nerd. I even heard rumors that he has an abusive mother and that his father walked out on them."

"Are you sure?" Kimberley asks while crossing her arms.

"Yes. That's all the information I could get. Blue would never talk about the situation and Yellow does not care. Plus I didn't go to the same school as them."

"How do you know all this?" Emma said, raising a brow at the raven haired girl while crunching on a potato chip. Noelle puffs out her chest at the question, a smile spreading across her face as she announces. "Well, I do plan to be a journalist someday. They don't call me 'Lady News' for nothing."

This encourages a laugh out of the girls until the twin tailed girl stated something in confusion. "I was able to speak to someone that met the kid and she said that when she saw him made her nearly pissed herself."

Hearing this, everyone looked at Noelle when she continued, seeing the serious expression on her face. "It was his eyes. They looked like it was out of a horror movie…they were red…like a demon."

Hearing this made Leaf's eyes widened, dropping her drink while looking at the raven haired girl with her mouth agape. 'What? Red eyes? The only person I know with red eyes is…That means that vision from Gothitelle…'

Thinking about the recent events made the brunette suddenly felt nauseous, running towards the bathroom which caught the attention of her friends who chased her. Getting to a stall, the brunette tries to calm herself, looking at her reflection from the toilet water before she vomits for almost a minute. After she finished, she closes the lid and flushes the toilet, staying on the floor as she tries to recollect her thoughts. Realizing that she is ok for the most part, she turns around and sits on the toilet, panting heavily as she moves her hair from her face.

'It can't be Red. It just can't be… He's quiet and quirky but…but he's always putting others before himself. I refuse to believe that someone so sweet and innocent like that cause such an accident?' Leaf thought, wiping the sweat on her face.

She was knocked out of her stupor when she hears footsteps in the bathroom, seeing her friends open the stall and look at her with worried expressions. Kimberly is the first to come forward, putting her hand on Leaf's shoulder with a smile. "You ok, Leaf?"

"Yeah…I'm alright." The brunette said panting heavily before she resumed, lying.

"Sorry. Just a bit under the weather." As Leaf said this, her Pokegear beeped which surprised her. Fishing for the device, she looked at the contact name with wide eyes which caught the attention of Kimberley who curiously peeks on the screen, a smile appearing on her face when she sees the name before swiping the Pokegear from Leaf. "Hey?"

"Looks like Leaf here has been going to work, girls." The bluenette said as she looks at the Pokegear before she said. "Oooooh. Red is his name, huh?"

Hearing the name, the girls squeal in happiness before they take her out of the bathroom and back to their table, anxiously waiting for the explanation which cause a blush to come on the brunette's face. As they all sit down, Kimberly ask a question that all the girls are thinking. "So what's he like, Leaf?"

"What's he like?" Leaf repeated, picturing Red from this morning which caused her to blush when she shook her head out of her stupor before continuing. "He's…mysterious…"

"Mysterious?" The other girls repeated in a bewildered tone, getting a nod from the brunette before she resumed her explanation. "He's…quiet and pretty hard to read. He's cute. Veeeery cute. He's like an Umbreon. He's kind. He's very quirky and a nerd too."

'It has already been a whole month since we meet…now that I think about it. I don't know what Red's goal is. Who doesn't look to be interested in being Champion.' She thought while explaining, reminiscing on the time that they spend together. She then looks down at her milkshake and drinks some of it before resuming. "He is definitely different. What made me most attracted is his red eyes."

"WHAT?!" The girls gasped in horror. "Red eyes?! Isn't that…"

Emma could not finish her thought when Noelle raises a brow, clearing her throat before she mutters something. "That's weird…

"What is?" Leaf said.

"From what I've seen. Dude who did the fire is in jail now. He was locked up the moment he started his journey at Viridian's Police station." After she explained this, the girls made a sigh of relief, Kimberly grabbing the raven haired girl by the blouse and shouted in frustration. "Don't you think that was important information?! You made poor Leaf here think that her boyfriend is a psycho villain!"

"I-I didn't s-say that he was my boyfriend. He's just someone I'm journeying with for the moment." Leaf protested with a stutter, her face changing to red as she flailed her arms wildly in the air.

"Yeah. And I'm a Zoroark in disguise." Kimberley said sarcastically. "We saw the look on your face in the bathroom. You were red like a tomato the moment he sent you a text."

"N-no. I wasn't. I...was just felt light headed." Leaf think up an excuse. The girls look at her with a knowing smile on their face before Emma made a request. "Hey. We gotta see him. You have a picture of him or something? Check her P-gear, Kim!"

"On it!"

They then stumbled upon a picture of Red with his Shinx which got various reactions out of the girls.

"He looks…plain." Noelle said, rubbing her neck and trying not to sound mean.

"Not what I expected." Emma followed.

"I thought he would be a hottie but he's just…gloomy looking."

Listening to the various comments, Leaf was about to say something until she was interrupted when Kimberly put a hand on the brunette's shoulder before asking her. "You sure about this? I didn't think you would like to go back into the dating game since…Nolan."

Leaf sighs, drinking her soda before she says. "Nolan…was an ass! Plus he just wanted to be with me because I'm the Commissioner's daughter."

"No. He doesn't. He likes you for more than that." Emma said.

"Like what?"

"You do know that Nolan's a douche, right?" Kim said to Emma before she turns to Leaf. "Like I asked before, are you sure?"

Leaf looked down with a melancholic expression on her face before she closed her eyes and looked at them. "I'm not sure…I'm trying to be a good trainer and not to speed things but he makes it so hard. He's too adorable."

"Adorable…is not the word I would give him." Noelle commented.

"Yeah. Nolan looks better" Emma said before she and Noelle got slapped across the head by Kimberley who puts her hand on Leaf's shoulder.

"I, for one, respect your choice. He looks like a good guy. You gotta introduce us to him." Kim stated with her hands on her hips.

"Well, he might be at the SS. Anne party. You could meet him there." Leaf said. Hearing her statement made her friends excited, making a blush appear on the brunette's face which she tries her hardest to hold it back until Kimberley says something. "So I'm guessing he's your partner for the party, right?"

"I dunno…I'm gonna have to ask him." The brunette thought as she twiddle her fingers together.

"Don't ask him. Drag him to the party!" Kimberley exclaimed which brought a smile to Leaf's face before she mumbles. "…thanks…"

As the sun starts descending below the horizon, the girls go their separate ways, planning to meet again at the party. "Bye, Leaf! See ya and 'Red' at the party!"

Getting a poster for the tournament event taking place on the SS. Anne, Leaf hums a tune while skipping happily towards the Pokemon Center. As she reaches and enters the red building, she sees Red by the healing center, dirt and scratches all over him as he receives his Pokemon. Upon taking his Pokemon, one of the spheres instantly open for Meowth to come out before it jumps on his cap, yawning before it takes a nap. Seeing the scene earns a giggle from Leaf which gets Red's attention before walks up to her, a small smile plastered on his face.

Leaf then hears a buzz in her pocket, taking out the Pokegear as she read the latest message.

'I guess you enjoyed your day.'

The brunette smiles when she looked at him, giggling. "You weren't there but it was alright."

After she said this, Red was caught off guard as she closed the distance between them in seconds, wrapping her arms around him. She hides her blush as much as she could with a smirk when she notices multiple people in the building including the nurse looking at them before she puts her face to Red's ear. "I missed teasing you all day, Red."

"I don't." He mutters with a blush on his face, using his cap to hide his face only for the brunette to stop him.

"Awww. You're embarrassed. Don't worry. You'll have all of me tomorrow." She said in a seductive tone before dragging Red outside of the bulding.

After they went out and ordered dinner, they go back to their rooms before Leaf talks to Red about the events throughout the day, Red calmly listening to her recollection as a thought runs through his head. 'I'm glad she's doing better.'

"Oh! Also, there's gonna be a tournament at the SS. Anne as well as an after party. I dunno if you want to come. As my partner." Leaf said, trying to stop her heart from beating too quickly.

"…are you sure…?"

"Yep!"

"But I'm-"

'Oh here we go again.' Groaning angrily, Leaf looks at him with a poker face before she stands and walks over to him. "You are cute as fuck, got it! I don't give a Rattata's ass what people are gonna think! I would literally not pick you if I didn't feel so!"

Red looks at her before she grabs him by his jacket, pulling him until they are at eye level before she repeats her question. "Do you want to be my partner?"

Seeing her eyes, the teen nods which made Leaf smiles before she rubs her cheeks against his and then releases him, tapping him on his jacket. "We need to get this fixed."

She then turns towards the bathroom before she looks back at him, saying. "Have more confidence in yourself. Also…"

When she paused, Red looks at her with furrowed brows when her smile grew wilder before she says. "Even if you said no. I would have dragged you there with me anyways."

His eyes widened before he flails his arms and says. "Then what was the point?"

"To let you think that you had a chance." She said before she went into the bathroom. After she came out, she looks at Red as he casually takes out his clothes feeling a slight been strain on his arm when she remembers it being in a cast from yesterday's encounter.

"I'm sorry." She states in a melancholic tone which gains his attention. Leaf then looks down and plays with her fingers before she resumes. "For your arm. I put you through so much because of my selfishness and you almost died…it was so scary. I didn't know what I would do is that-"

She then felt an arm on her shoulder, looking up to see Red, a look of worry on his face. She then feels terrible, being reassured by the boy who she nearly got killed before her mouth moved. "If you want to leave me, it's alright. I know…I can be trouble sometimes. I-"

Before she could finish, the crimson eyed teen rubs her shoulder, making her look up to see a smile on his face which made her hug him, wrapping her arms around him. Leaf then gets entranced, refusing to let go until Red snaps his fingers which surprised her, making her let him go, much to her dismay. He then searches through his bag for something, an action that made the brunette raise an eyebrow. As he finally takes out what he wants, he gives the brunette a small box which she slowly accepts with a raised brow. "What is this?"

Red motions her to open it which she does, opening the box to find a Great ball inside, increasing her bewilderment. She takes out the ball, accidentally pressing on the release button which brings a white light forth that drops onto the ground. The light made shape, dispersing to reveal a blue rabbit like Pokemon with a horn on its head and spikes on its back.

"Red! This is…" Was all Leaf could say as she picks up the creature, a shocked look etched on her face. She then starts shaking uncontrollably, tears threatening to come out of her eyes which Red does not notice as he is looking at the floor while scratching the back of his head. "…it's a Nidoran. How…"

"I realized that you liked Nidoran a lot and it was one of the Pokemon that you did not get to catch along with Clefairy. Turns out it was a lot rarer than I thought it was. I couldn't get you a Clefairy but I could get you the next best thing. I thought this could calm you down and take your mind away from yesterday." Red said, hiding his face by lowering his cap. Leaf's eyes widens, unable to make a coherent sentence as her speech devolves to simple sobs which causes Red and Nidoran to panic.

_'Did we do this wrong?'_ Nidoran panicked, flailing around and trying its best to stop the brunette from tearing up.

"Oh no! I'm sorry, Leaf. I thought it would make you feel bette-" He was interrupted when Leaf rested her lips on his cheek before she hugs him, her tears descending from her face.

"Thank…you." She said between sobs.

She repeats the phrase like a mantra when she starts losing the strength to stand upright, letting her weight take both teens descend to the bed. Leaf then starts crying, not caring about the fact that she is making Red's undershirt soaking wet.

'I was wrong about him. I shouldn't have doubted him.'

After a while, she stops sobbing when her breathing calms down and her eyes are closed, both her and Nidoran rested on Red who smiles as he takes them up and carries her to her bed which proved to be a little difficult with one good arm. Seeing her sleeping form and putting a sheet over her and her Pokemon, he then stretches and yawns before he bathes and goes off to go to sleep himself. Within her slumber, one thought goes through Leaf's mind.

'Thank you, Red. My adorable Umbreon.'

**I'm going on a roll and I'm trying not to stop. Thought that I might give a Leaf centric chapter for y'all since there's not really much being known about her. Last episode was needed for this and this is not entirely filler. Hope you like the present that Red gave Leaf, it was such a good moment. Give me your thoughts on the story please. I would like to hear your opinions on the story. Enigma out!**


	30. Chapter 29: The SS Anne Tournament

Days have passed by within the city of Vermilion as the residents await the SS. Anne tournament. As the sun ascends to the sky which signals the end of the sunrise, participants congregate at the entrance, signing their admissions to join the event. Within the crowd are Red and Leaf who push through the bundle of people as they made their way to the stands, eager to sign up for the tournament. As they manage to get there, the receptionist ask for their names and information to which Leaf answers. "Leaf Green. And this is my partner, Red Fires."

"Thank you for that information and the both of you do know that this is a tag battle tourney. As in you fight together, right?" The receptionist questioned with a brow raised as she lifted her gaze to the teenager. Both of them nod which brings a smile and a sigh of relief to the woman's face before she instructs them on where to go after their admission. As they board the huge cruise ship, they are introduced to a variety of trainers, young and old, occupying the ship and waiting for the announcements as they each do their own activity.

"This is sooooo cool! We're gonna be in a tournament!" Leaf said while shaking from sheer excitement. Failing at containing her emotions, she does a mini jump and making weird noises, causing a few confused looks at her, much to her embarrassment. She stops when she leans on the wall, playing with her hair as she waits.

"Aren't we going to do the preliminaries first though? We have a lot of work before we can reach the finals." Red said in a silent voice, putting his hand on his cheek. He then starts scratching his cheek with a sweat drop falling down his face when he notices the pure enthusiasm that sparkles in his partner's eyes.

"C'mon! Don't be like that, Red. You gotta be excited. And be more confident. We're gonna go to the finals and we're gonna win this tournament!" She stated, gaining a bit more control of herself.

'Hmm. Well, she's right. I gotta admit, this is pretty awesome.' The raven haired teen thought as he looks around, interested in exploring the ship.

Their conversation came to a stop when one of Red's Pokeballs opened, releasing Meowth who yawned before climbing its trainer and then scout the area atop his cap, which earned a giggle from Leaf.

_'Hmmm… There are a lot of people here. What is going on, here?'_ The Normal type asks her trainer.

"It's a tournament going on. You up for it?" Red said which had the Pokemon thinking as she eyes around the room before answering with a smile. _'Alright. I'll help out. This might be fun.'_

Noticing Leaf's smile made the boy sigh in defeat before he goes to get some sodas to drink while they wait and continue their conversation until they are both interrupted by a voice that causes Leaf to almost spit out her entire soda.

"If it isn't Weed girl?" Both teens turn around to see a girl with long pink hair and big violet eyes accompanied with a lot of makeup on her face with two girls and a few boys behind her. Hearing the girl, they all snicker which brings another sigh to exit the brunette's mouth and for Red to look around in confusion.

"It's Leaf…my name is Leaf, you damn plastic doll." Leaf stated calmly. The brunette sets her gaze on the pink haired girl who seems unnerved by the gesture before she clears her throat, twirls her fingers in her hair and turns her attention towards Red who is oblivious to the situation.

"Well, well, well, guys. Weed here managed to bribe someone to be her partner." She said, laughing with her lackeys which caused Leaf to grind her teeth as she murmured. "…Jessica…you're such a pain in the ass…"

'Jessica?' Red said, bewildered when he puts a hand on his chin. 'Why does that name sound familiar?'

Seeing her partner's dilemma, Leaf giggles as she takes his hand which knocks him out of his stupor and causes him to turn his attention to her.

"You don't need to overthink this, sweetie. She's hardly worth it." The brunette whispered, looking at Jessica whose eye was twitching from frustration. The pink haired girl then looked at Red, checking him out, much to his and Leaf's confusion.

"Now that I look at him, he looks more pathetic than Weed. Never thought it was possible. She must be doing him a favor." Jessica taunts as she knocks Red's hat off his head, making the teen pick up his cap.

_'I can give them a haircut if you want, Red.'_ Meowth said, unsheathing its claws while looking viciously at the group who is laughing at Red as their leader steps on his cap. "Oh no! My cap."

As he was about to pick it up, one of the boys stepped on his hand which made him wince in pain. "Oh! I'm sorry. Didn't see you there. Couldn't tell the difference between you and the ground."

Jessica and the others laughed before the boy kicked Red in his face, making the teen drop on his back. He continues kicking the teen which did not go unnoticed by the people around who simply watch the confrontation as it goes down, some observing with amused expressions. What they did not notice is a fuming brunette who grabs the boy's arm and twisted it, earning a grunt of pain from him.

"The hell are you-owowow!" The boy could not finish his sentence when he felt Leaf put more pressure on his arm, glaring at him with a look that could put an Arbok to shame. Jessica was about to say something before she hears the brunette speak. "Jessica."

The pink haired girl looks at Leaf when the brunette continues in a monotone voice that give her and the group a chill in their spines. "Do me a favor please. Take your shit and leave us alone."

She throws the boy in her direction, uncaring of where he ends up before she turns to Red, checking if he's alright. Unnerved by the sudden shift in Leaf's attitude along with the looks that she's getting from the people around her, Jessica motions her group to leave before she departs some final words to the duo. "You're lucky this time, Leaf. But next time, I'm looking forward to embarrassing you in the tournament."

As they leave, Leaf helps Red off the floor, seeing him rubbing his nose before dusting off and putting on his cap. She looks at him before he gestures to her that he's ok which she did not believe as she notice a trail of blood coming from his nose, making her worried and wide eyed. "Red! You're bleeding!"

"It's alright." Red assures her which fell on deaf ears when she rubs his nose with a napkin before she hears comments from the other participants.

"Look at that kid on the floor. Pitiful. He had to make his girlfriend come in to save him."

"What a weakling."

"Spineless, just like a Wimpod."

"I mean to be fair. The kid has a cast. How much do you expect him to do with one arm?"

"Not to be a wimp."

Hearing the comments made Leaf enraged as she was about to give everyone a piece of her mind before Red stops her, looking at her and shaking his head. Surprised and confused by her friend's gesture, she was about to question him until someone came into the room with a mic, testing it before he shouted to the top of his lungs.

"Attention, everyone! The preliminaries of the SS. Anne tournament will know begin! We will be picking numbers for the preliminary rounds and if you win through a series of matches, you will be able to participate in the grand tournament! So you all better put your A-game forward and battle to the best of your abilities! Any questions?" As the reporter finished, looking around for a couple minutes, eager to answer questions. He then notices someone raising their hand for a question which made him beam with happiness. "Yes, what is it that you'd like to ask?"

"I was wondering how the battles are going to be like." The individual asked, the voice seeming to be feminine.

"Good question! The battles in this tournament is a Multi battle. Each participant will use three Pokemon and the battle will be over once all the Pokemon from one team is unable to battle or if a team forfeits. Substitutions are allowed. Also, both trainer should have only three Pokemon. Don't bother going with one person having two while the other has four to even the odds. You will be disqualified." The reporter explained to the audience before he looks around. "Any other questions?"

Receiving no more responses, the man clears his throat before he resumes. "Alright. I will be calling you and you will be picking a number from this ballot. You will also inform me of your partner as well."

As he finishes, he starts to call names, the participants picking numbers from the ballot, their respective numbers being registered. After a while, Leaf hears her name, skipping happily as she eagerly picks her number and shows it to the announcer who commented. "Oh! The number 4, huh? Battling pretty early."

Leaf smiles excitedly as she goes back to Red, trying her best to control herself. "Red! Are you ready? Because I'm ready! The first step for the world to see Leaf Green, the future Kanto Champion."

_'Such a weird girl.'_ Meowth said, licking her paw then scratching her head. She and Red watch the brunette skipping around like a child going on a roller coaster ride which brings a silent chuckle from the raven haired teen.

"Aww, c'mon, Meowth. She's not that bad. Also, isn't being able to talk to Pokemon weird?" Red said, scratching its chin and rubbing its back which earns a calm purr from it.

_'You got a point there. However I would say that's more unique than weird.'_ She rebutted, jumping down to the ground as it sat down and wrapped its tail around Red's leg. _'That, however, is weird. Odd the least.'_

Seeing the girl stumble in her step and almost fall, Red helps regain her balance and trying his best not to laugh, much to the girl's embarrassment when she pouts and punches him on his shoulder before something pops up in her mind. "How's your arm? I forgot to ask if you're going to be alright in the tournament with it."

"For the twentieth time, Leaf. I'm alright. I have another arm that I can use. Not to worry, just go out and have fun." Red said, rubbing his cast around his left arm. Leaf smiles and nods before she releases Buneary who jumps in surprise by the crowd before it calmed down, hopping into its trainer's arms.

_'Cat. Explanation. Now.'_ The brown rabbit asks Meowth who yawns and then answers. _'Your trainer wants to do a tournament and dragged my trainer along with her.'_

_'Hey. My trainer is just very persuasive.'_

_'Persuasive…if you say so…' _Meowth says in a sarcastic tone before taking a nap. _'Well…wake me up when they start…'_

Buneary looks at the Scratchcat Pokemon before she looks at Red, saying. _'How do you put up with her?'_

"It's easier than you think." He said in a matter-of-factly.

"Alright. I'm gonna beat everyone here and win the tournament." Leaf said with confidence oozing from her voice.

"And have fun." Red finished her statement. She then looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "But beating up people is fun."

After they finished picking numbers, the announcer exclaims in an anxious and excited tone.

"Let's start the first preliminary round, everyone. The battle will be number 1: Kiki and Marco vs number 2: Jerry and Tiffany."

As both teams walk on the stage, they shake hands before their part with the announcer declaring for the battle to commence. When the match starts, both teams release their Pokemon which are a Graveler and Jolteon going against a Machoke and Weepinbell. Leaf watches the battle with amazement sparkling in her eyes while Red simply takes out his Pokedex to scan the Pokemon and read their descriptions. After a while, the battle ends in a matter of minutes with the brunette looking in awe at the result while her partner gets some good information on the Pokemon that he is able to scan and find on his device or in his book.

"Team number 2: Jerry and Tiffany won the fight in a flawless victory!" The referee announced excitedly. After the announcement is made, the losers come off the stage, exiting the room with an aura of disappointment and hurt. After a few minutes of cleaning up, the announcers call for the next contestants for the battle which are Red and Leaf, both eagerly going on the battle field before they eye their opponent which are twins with fair skin, their only difference being their outfits, one wearing a red Pokeball shirt with blue jeans and the other weating an Ultra Ball shirt with a pair of black jeans.

"Now the second elimination match will begin, team number 3: Jack and Nick vs team number 4: Leaf and Red." The announcer stated loudly as both sides prepared themselves.

"Let's go, Buneary!" Leaf said. The Normal type hops onto the battlefield, ready for battle as it jumps in one spot, shadow boxing the air.

"Go, Sableye!" The dude in the red Pokeball shirt whose name is Jack exclaimed as a ghost like Pokemon appeared on the field with gems for eyes as it hisses.

"It's time to fight, Cacnea!" The other twin whose name is Nick stated as a cactus like creature appeared on the field.

Leaf notices Red going to his Pokedex before she quickly takes it out her own Pokedex, scans the Pokemon and then shows him the results with a bored expression which made him as he takes out a Pokeball.

"It's not on your Pokedex, Red. We really need to get you a new Pokedex." The brunette sighed before she saw her partner about to throw a capsule in the air until he is interrupted by Meowth who leaps onto the field, yawning and stretching as it starts licking its paw.

_'I'll take these losers on by myself. No need to rack your brain about it.'_ The Scratch Cat Pokemon said in a boring tone. As it lays down on the floor, everyone starts snickering at Red when he crouches down and ask the cat. "Are you sure, Meowth? You look like you want some more sleep."

_'Yep, I got this.'_ Meowth said which got her opponents angered as they shout insults at her and Buneary to roll its eyes. _'Just keep up, alright?'_

_'I should be saying that to you.' _The Scratchcat Pokemon rebutted as the battle starts.

"Buneary, let's start with Foresight!" Leaf yelled. Buneary obeys the command as its eyes starting to glow. When their opponents realize what is going on, they both launch their attacks which does not go unnoticed by the brunette's red capped partner.

"Meowth, Taunt on Sableye." Red said, lowering the brim of the cap on his head. Before anyone could react, Meowth vanishes into thin air, reappearing in front of Sableye which startles it.

_'Never thought I could spook a ghost.'_ Red hears Meowth say, sighing.

_'Are you mocking me?'_ Sableye asks, its body twitching.

_'Yes.'_ The Normal type grins then lifts its paws, provoking its opponent as it laughed at it which worked as the Ghost type roars before chasing the cat. No one is able to expect a surprise attack when Meowth jumps out of the way, the only thing Sableye is able to recognize is a foot as it gets hit in the face by Buneary's Jump Kick which knocks it across the field, much to Leaf's delight as she and Red made a high five.

"Alright. Now continue with Double Hit." Buneary continues attacking the Pokemon with its ears before it notices Cacnea coming towards it with the needles on its arm glowing, much to its trainer glee. Leaf was about to tell it to avoid the attack but is interrupted by another voice. "Meowth, Feint Attack."

Before the Grass type could get close, it receives a sudden strike out of nowhere by Meowth which slams it on the ground, much to its trainer's dismay. Nick was about to command another attack from Cacnea until he notices that the Pokemon is not moving, calling for it to realize that it is unconscious. He is about to take out another Pokeball before he hears his twin screaming, seeing that his Sableye was defeated by Buneary as well. They both return their Pokemon before sending out a Hariyama and Breloom, grinning as they have the type advantages on their side.

"Breloom, Force Palm!" Jack said. Red whispers something to Leaf, the brunette nodding in response as they both turn their gaze back at their opponents.

"Hariyama, Arm Thrust!" Nick stated, not missing a beat after his twin brother. As both Fighting types charge the Normal types, Red mutters something which is barely audible to everyone except Meowth when it leaps towards Hariyama, using its tail to obstruct its sight. Breloom then goes towards Meowth to knock it off its partner, unable to see Buneary as it hops into the air and kicks it to the ground, causing it to skid across the field and into its partner.

"Look out, Breloom! Get out of the way!" Breloom was unable to quickly react as its opponent hops away, leaving it to become victim to Hariyama's Arm Thrust move, making it collapse on the ground. "Oh no! Breloom!"

"Damn it!" Jack shouted in frustrated. He returns his Pokemon, anger clear on his face before he grips his last Pokeball, throwing the capsule with gritted teeth. "Go Mothim. Waste them!"

A moth like Pokemon appears on the field, flying around before it is quickly given a command. "Quiver Dance!"

Mothim starts glowing before it dances throughout the field, leaving afterimages of itself and increasing in speed. While it is using Quiver Dance, Buneary secures some hits on Hariyama before they both, along with their trainers, hear Nick states his next move. "Now, use Psybeam."

The Bug type releases a rainbow colored blast from its eyes towards Buneary only for it to dodge the attack. Mothim continues shooting Psybeam causing the Normal type to avoid the attack before Meowth knocks the Bug type, causing the Psychic blast to hit Hariyama, making it descend to the ground on one knee.

"Hariyama! C'mon. Get up!" Its trainer pleaded, much to his dismay as the Pokemon is trying to get up only to fail.

"Buneary, deal with Mothim. Use Thunder Punch!" Leaf said. Her Pokemon lunges forward, trying to hit Mothim only to miss due to its amazing speed, much to its frustration. It tries again only to be rewarded with the same result, falling face first on the floor.

"Good job, Mothim. Now Gust!" The Bug type lets out a gust of wind so strong that nearly blows the bunny off the ground when it flails in panic, trying its best to hold onto anything to withstand the attack. The attack was short lived as the moth receives a strike from Hariyama, sending it across the field and unto the ground which made Buneary takes advantage of the situation and land a Thunder Punch on it.

"Nick. What are you doing?" Jack said to his brother.

He notices that his twin is angrily spouting out commands but his Pokemon is ignoring him, focusing its attention on its opponent which is the Meowth.

"Quick! Return your Hariyama!" He said. His brother hastily takes out the Pokeball however is too late as the cat leads the Fighting type in front of Mothim's Gust attack, letting it take the full force of the attack while it along with Buneary use it as shelter until the attack was called off. "Stop, Mothim!"

When the move subsided, Hariyama was already on the floor, immobile which made its trainer's face distorts to a look of annoyance and frustration when he returns the Pokemon.

"Fletchinder, come out now!" Nick said angrily. Jack looks at his brother before he turned his gaze to his opponents, once again seeing that their whispering to each other.

"What are you whispering about over there?!" He asked, catching his opponents' attention. "Why the hell have you been whispering this whole fight to each other?! Are you two trying to cheat?"

"No." Leaf said with a raised brow. She then turns to Red who just shrugs while she scratches her head before answering. "Why would we cheat?"

"You two have been whispering this whole fight! What is so interesting in the fight that the rest of us cannot know about?"

"Our strategy." Leaf said bluntly, Red nodding in agreement. The twins look at their opponent in disbelief before they just continue the fight, embarrassed to say another word.

"And also, or your info, my friend here does not exactly have a loud voice so I have to move close to him to speak with him." The brunette explained further, locking arms with Red with an innocent smile coming across her face. Paying attention to the exchange between trainers, Red was barely able to notice a change in Meowth behavior as it gets up and started to stretches its body.

"Alright, Fletchinder! Peck on the Meowth!" Nick yelled. The red bird ascends into the air before it accelerates at a speed that no one could react, making its way towards the cat. It is rewarded with a miss as the Normal type nimbly dodges the attack, much to the twin's frustration. It then tries another attempt, using Quick Attack at the cat only for it to evade the move once more. 'How the hell? I've never met a Pokemon that was able to dodge any of my Fletchinder's attack, especially its Peck move.'

_'Oh! This will be fun.'_ Meowth said, getting excited as she saw the speed of Fletchinder. It then gets itself into a battle stance before it pounces forward, purring anxiously.

"Fury Swipes." Red muttered. The Normal type then lunges itself forward, clashing with the Flying type. As they trade blows, Nick realizes that Meowth is faster than his Pokemon before he calls for another command, much to its opponent's joy. "Agility now!"

_'Finally! I wanted to stretch myself and exercise for a while now. Let's hope that Agility move can help you.' _Meowth said with excitement in her tone. She watches as her opponent starts getting faster to the point of it making various afterimages of itself. They continue to trade blows before the cat got hit in the back, falling on the floor and seeing Buneary on top of her.

_'Hey! Can you come get off me, Buneary?'_ The cat purred in annoyance. The bunny jumped off it, dusting herself off.

_'Well, I'm sorry for being knocked aside by a butterfly that moves like it ate too much X Speeds.'_ Buneary complained. Meowth ignores it, concentrating on her opponent before it notices something from its peripheral vision, barely dodging a Psybeam from Mothim. _'Alright, that's it! C'mon, rabbit!'_

_'It's Buneary! Or just call me bunny.'_ Buneary sighed before it heard a command from its trainer. "Buneary, Thunder Punch on Fletchinder."

"Red! How about we change targets?" Leaf proposed the idea to Red who thought about it for a moment before nodding.

"Mothim, use Psybeam to stop Meowth! Take it out!" Jack ordered. The moth flies towards the cat, charging its attack. Buneary tries to land an attack on Fletchinder who despite the increase in speed from Agility was still experiencing problems.

"Meowth, dodge." Red said. The Normal type nodded as it dodged the attack before its trainer mutters something to it that was unnoticed by anyone. "Lead it towards Fletchinder."

_'Master! You are terrible and I love it.'_ The cat smiled deviously as it continuing dodging Mothim's attacks, running across the field as it did so. Realizing what was going on, Buneary starts aggressively attacking Fletchinder, leading it towards Meowth as both Pokemon close the gap. The Fire and Flying type was about to use Quick Attack until it felt something on its back, seeing Meowth taunting it before the Normal type slams it tail on the Pokemon, making it fall prey to Mothim's Psybeam.

"Damn it! Again!" Nick shouted before his brother made another command. "Quiver Dance, Mothim! I need to take them out quickly."

Mothim starts the move before Meowth looks at it with a smirk before saying. 'What a coward. Can't beat us like you are now, huh? That's sad.'

The Bug Pokemon was enraged, flying straight towards the cat before it receives a Thunder Punch to the face, making it collide into the ground before bouncing off which made it prey to a Feint Attack from Meowth that knocks it into Fletchinder, leaving both Pokemon out cold.

"Wow! It seems like flawless victories are the theme for today! Team Number 4 won the match." The announcer stated at the top of his lungs. Hearing the results, Leaf and Red made a high five before the brunette hugs him while they walk off the stage, seeing their opponents' disappointed expressions. The brunette walks up to them, holding out her hand before saying. "That was a great match. You two were awesome."

The twins look at the brunette's hand before looking at the girl who has a smile on her face. Angry at their loss, Jack slaps away Leaf's hand before Nick pushes her to the ground before walking away. "Fucking bitch…"

"Dick." The brunette said, rubbing her butt. She sees Red holding out a hand to her, accepting it as he lifts her up. "Thanks, Red. Let's continue knocking these idiots."

As the elimination matches continue, the battles get harder as Red and Leaf fight their way through the matches until they are able to secure a spot within the 32 official participants. After the preliminaries were finished, the two teenagers were finally able to take a break when they decided on taking a tour throughout the boat, both noticing a list of the other 31 participants of the tournament and the incoming matches. As they look throughout the list, they see Jessica's name which upon seeing the name made Leaf groan in anger.

"Why couldn't she get knocked out in the preliminaries?" She whined as she continue to look at the list before she saw a name that she instantly recognize.

"So Blue and Yellow are here too. Nice, I got some competition." Leaf said excitedly. Upon hearing their names, Red's face fall as he suddenly feels nauseous as he walks away.

'Oh no. Nothing good ever happens when they're around.' He thought as he lowered the brim of his cap on his face which did not go unnoticed by Leaf.

"Red. What's wrong?" She asked. Worried, she moves his cap and puts her hand on his forehead on his head to check his temperature. Realizing that her friend is not sick, she retracts her hand, looking at him with a worried look on her face. "Don't tell me that you're getting cold feet now. Seriously, Red? You were so calm during the preliminaries. Hell, I'm still in shock after you took on that Golisopod without batting an eye. Don't worry, we'll do alright. Just believe in yourself."

Red just stood quiet, calming down before he heard Meowth say. _'She's right. You know.'_

'Well, nothing good is gonna go with worrying about it now. If it happens, it happens. And I'll try to face it with everything I got.' Red thought as he awaited the day of the tournament with confidence in his eyes.

"Another flawless victory from team number 96, Blue Oak and Yellow Caballero! They're able to advance with the 32 contestants!" The reporter announced, her voice booming through the entire room which cause some of the people and Pokemon to shield their ears from the volume. Coming off the stage, Blue smirks as he walks across the people, his hands in his pocket as he leaves the room along with his blonde partner. When he left the room, the spiky haired teen looks across the cruise ship before he remembered something.

"Hey, Yellow. Leaf is here as well, right?" He questioned. He turns his gaze to the blonde who is enjoying the breeze, standing by the railing of the cruise ship with her ponytail swaying in the wind before she looks back at him and nodded slowly. "Yeah. She's here. I saw her name on the list and you would not guess who her partner is."

"Who? Nolan?"

"Nice guess but no."

"Jessica?"

"You know that the day those two decide to work together is the day Giratina comes out of the Distortion World."

Blue racked his brain before his eyes widening, his face hardening as he utters one word, hoping that he is wrong. "…Red…"

"Yep." Yellow nodded, her hands gripping on the railing like she is about to break it. Hearing her response, Blue's face hardened before he laughed as he folded his arms and lean on the wall.

"We need to stop him, Blue. He's a menace. Everyone he comes across gets destroyed." The blonde said, her tone increasing as she turns her gaze to Blue. The young Oak look at his partner before he looks at the ocean with a melancholic expression on his face. He then closes his eyes before a smirk comes across his face as he mutters one word. "Interesting."

"What?" Yellow shouted incredulously. Blue turns to her before saying with his cocky expression. "This tournament. It's gonna be interesting. It has everyone. Leaf, Nolan. I'm pretty sure Devin's here as well. Plus, Red. The more people I can beat, the closer I will be at being the greatest trainer in the world. Plus if Red ever thinks about betraying Leaf, he's not gonna get out alive by either her or her father."

'Blue. You…' Yellow thought. "You're just gonna let him walk about."

"I wanna break his spirit first. Plus, if you were half as worried as you're talking right now. You would not tell me about this, you would've called the police." The spiky haired boy said. Yellow looked down at the ocean, her grip getting tighter as she heard Blue made a statement. "You want payback, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"You want payback for Cerulean City. Admit it. You were down in the dumps after that loss." He said, looking at her. Yellow could not deny it because it was true. Part of her wanted Red to stay in the tournament to face him and beat him, getting her revenge for the last battle they had. She then realized that she could not fool herself before she made the wind hit her, making her able to sort out her thoughts until she turns to Blue.

"Alright. You're right. I do wanna beat him." The blonde sighed before continuing. "I'll leave him alone for now but if he tries anything, he'll regret it."

Blue smiles at her as he looks back to the sea as he smirks.

"This is gonne be an interesting tournament indeed."

**Sup, guys? Hope y'all taking care of yourselves. If you didn't recognize, the numbers that Leaf and Blue have is basically the years that they have been introduced to the games. 1996 for Blue, 2004 for Leaf. Thanks for the positive feedback and I'm glad that you guys like the story so far. Just don't hold back on telling me what you feel about the story so far. Hope you guys keep yourself safe. Enigma out!**


	31. Chapter 30: A Deal with the Fisherman

Anxiety has been put to rest when the day of the tournament comes to reality, people from around Kanto gathering around to witness and quench their thirst for excitement and action. Red and Leaf watch the congregation impatiently wait at the pier of Vermilion City as the guards check their tickets to go inside. The two teenagers are unaware of others observing them including a fisherman who immediately hides inside a room after seeing the red capped trainer. The man then takes a picture of the boy which catches Red's attention before he looks around, searching for something or someone.

'What was that?' He thought. He observes around before he gets dragged off to another section of the SS. Anne by Leaf.

"Master Klaus! I've seen someone who seems familiar." The man said, earning an eyebrow raise from Klaus before the man gives him a picture of Red which made the man instantly recognize the boy.

"Hmm… It's that kid who go-" He said before he notices others outside his room who are looking at him in confusion. Quickly calming himself down and shutting the door, he then clears his throat and corrects himself. "I mean the fiend who almost stole my shiny Gyarados!"

When he said this, everyone continue to do their activities outside before Klaus gets close to the man and whispered to his ear. "Keep tabs on the kid for now, Clarence. Check his partner too. I don't need anything messing up this tournament for me."

The man, now known as Clarence, nods before leaving of the room. After the man closes the door, Klaus watches the other people outside his room before he scratches his chin with his fingers, trying his best to hide his smile as a thought came to his mind. 'As long as that kid does not get in my way, the prize money of this tournament will be mine.'

"C'mon, Red! They're showcasing the Silver Wing here!" Leaf said with her arms around Red's good arm, dragging him towards the showcasing area of the ship which looks like the inside of a museum. The raven haired trainer looks around in awe and curiosity before he stops, seeing his partner looking with sparkles in her eyes towards a glass case which is covering an item inside. He focuses more, seeing that the item is a feather, having a silver color that makes it look like that it is glowing despite the lighting.

"This, everyone, is the infamous Silver Wing. A relic of the Legendary Pokemon Lugia. A rare item found in an escapade of the Whirl Islands." The guide explained. "It is also stated by some to be a kind of trigger for the Legendary Pokemon."

Everyone starts commenting on the item, some having raised brow and questioning looks before one of the people lifts their hand, asking a question. "What is a Lugia?"

Hearing the question, the guide chuckles before speaking, raising his voice so that everyone could hear. "For those of you who do not what Lugia is, it is a Pokemon that is said to be native in the Johto region. It is the guardian of the ocean, said to been born from the Whirl Islands in the Johto region. This Pokemon is also stated to be the leader of the legendary birds of Kanto."

As he made the explanation, muttering can be heard within the crowd along with some people gasping in surprise at what the guide had said while others are in denial and disbelief, claiming everything to be a myth. During the commotion, Red observes the feather until he feels a pressure of the item, instinctively stepping back until he hears a voice.

"Red! Are you ok? Anybody in there?" Leaf asked, her face to close to Red which made him jump and back away from her. "Yep! You're still in there."

'I swear this girl needs to know the meaning of personal space. Is she like this with everyone?' He thought while wiping the sweat off his brow and rubbing his head, feeling a slight ache in his cranium. Leaf notices this, looking at him in worry before asking. "Are you really ok? I forgot that you need to take it easy. Am I being too rough?"

Red then smiles before shaking his head, ready to continue on as he said. "I'm fine."

After an hour of sightseeing and observing almost every relic and item, which is longer due to Red gushing out on every artifact, much to Leaf's amusement as she watches the silliness of the usually quiet and cool trainer. They both get out and journey towards the pool section of the ship, which made the brunette's excited as she quickly orders a bathing suit, running towards the changing room. Seeing the pure enthusiasm of Leaf causes a sigh to go through Red's mouth before he sits down and releases his Pokemon by one of the pools, letting them enjoy themselves while he simply takes out a notebook and started doodling.

_'Whatcha doing, boss?'_ Beedrill asked in an innocent tone as she perched on her trainer, looking at the notebook. Red smiles at the Pokemon, petting her before he turns his attention back to the book. "I'm drawing something for Mom. Her birthday is coming soon and I'm trying to think of a good present for her."

_'That's co cool. I wonder how the boss' mother is like. Is she silent and tough?'_ The Bug type said with enthusiasm. Red chuckles when he sees the yellow bee starts rambling before she goes off to play with the rest of the Pokemon on his team.

_'Hey, Red. Look what I found.'_ A voice said beside him, turning to see Meowth with a weird rainbow colored scale in her mouth. Taking the item, he examines it, realizing what it is before he turns to the Pokemon.

"Meowth. Where did you find this?" He asked in a worried tone, his mind praying and hoping that it did not rob the item from anyone. The cat licks its paw, waving it in the air when it smiles and said. _'Don't worry. It was on the floor and it looked shiny and I thought 'Why not give it to ya?'_

"That smile honestly makes me worry more than I should be. Where did you actually find this?" Red said, giving the Pokemon a look that slightly made it nervous before it admitted. _'Fine. I found it in the kitchen trash can.'_

"Oh thank Arceus! I thought it was somewhere worse. Who would put such a pretty scale in the garbage?" Red sighed in relief as he observed the scale. He then notices that Feebas is interested in the item, walking over to her.

"Interested?" He asked the Water type who came back to her senses as she turned around and scoffed, stuttering a little due to being caught off guard. _'N-no! It's not like I was interested in that scale, y-you idiot.'_

Red smiles when he gave the item to Feebas who looked at him in confusion. "Why don't you keep it? You'd probably have more use for it than I would plus it looks good on you."

The Pokemon gazes at her trainer in disbelief before she reluctantly takes the item. It then smiles before it jumps out of the water and kissing her trainer on the cheek, surprising the trainer. _'T-thank you.'_

The raven haired teen looks at the Pokemon in disbelief as it goes back into the pool, enjoying the new item. Seeing her face of enjoyment puts a smile on Red's face before he goes back to the bench and returns to his notebook, unaware of the fact that someone is watching him. By one of the many entrances of the recreational area was Clarence, observing the shiny Pokemon as people starts crowding the red capped trainer, asking him about his shiny Feebas. After taking a picture and seeing Leaf and her Pokemon, the man leaves the room to return to Klaus' suite.

"A shiny Feebas?! Forget a Shiny Gyarados, those things are rare! Almost scarce!" Klaus exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table. He then puts his hands on his head, rubbing his greyish hair while pacing around his room, his assistant waiting on a result before the man asks another question. "What about his partner?"

"She has a good variety of Pokemon as well. Not sure if they are ones that you're interested in." Clarence said as he gave him a photos of Leaf and her Pokemon. Klaus looks at the photos, throwing the ones with the brunette in the garbage and giving the others to his assistant. "Not a lot of their Pokemon has any worth however a shiny Feebas will sell for a lot especially in Kanto where there is hardly any of their kind left. The Clefairy would sell at a good price as well considering what happened at Mt. Moon."

He then gets himself ready as he takes out a set of Pokeballs, turning to his assistant as he said. "Do you know where they are right now, Clarence?"

"Yes, sir. More or less."

"Good. I'm going to need you to participate in a little 'trade' for me." Klaus said, chuckling as Clarence nodded.

Red and Leaf are enjoying their time, eating their lunch along with their Pokemon as they discuss their strategy for their first match. "C'mon, Red! Our first opponents are gonna be easy. It's just a Juggler and a Firebreather, we're gonna be fiiine."

She then looks at her phone, seeing Red's text that says. 'Yeah. Fine from the burns if we're not careful.'

"Red, you need to chill out. You make it sound like every battle is a war. Sometimes, you just gotta go full force."

'Hmm… And sometimes, you need to think things through just in case the opponent puts you in a trap. Rushing ahead guns blazing does not work everytime.'

"Psshh, strategy can go so far, Red."

'So does brute force. Did you forget the headache of a gym battle that we had with Misty?'

Leaf clicks her tongue when she notices that she cannot find anything in her head that is a rebuttal to Red's statement. Seeing the pout on the brunette's face, the raven haired teenager smiles before he watches their Pokemon while they eat and frolic about. He then remembers about Feebas being in the aquarium, making his way to the Water type to see it sleeping peacefully which made the trainer smile as he returns the Pokemon before he gets himself ready for his battle tomorrow.

The days passed by as the amount of participants has been reduced in the first rounds, the competition getting smaller for Red and Leaf who won their first and second matches with little difficulty. Seeing the next opponents had Leaf excited when started jumping up and down.

"The last two matches were a cakewalk! I hope this Klaus fellow can put up a good fight." She said, turning her head to Red who reluctantly nods his head in agreement. Looking at the name once again, he racks his brain as he realizes that the name is familiar.

"Wait! Isn't Klaus that famous fisherman that caught a shiny Gyarados?" As soon as the words leave Leaf's mouth, the raven haired teen instantly remembers the person. He starts groaning in frustration and anger when he remembers his last confrontation with the man, the boy's hands clenching tightly as a result of his emotional review of the memory.

'Let's just get this over with.' He thought, sighing as he walks to another section of the ship. Entering the recreation room, he made his way to a sofa, sitting down and trying to calm himself down from the intense whirlpool of emotions in his stomach.

After taking a few minutes to calm himself down, Red felt better, stretching his arms before he notices Meowth who is sleeping on his lap. He cradles the Pokemon in his arms, rubbing its head which encourages a relaxed purr from the cat before it shifts itself to be more comfortable. On his way back to where Leaf is, Red felt dizzy, his vision getting blurry and his body starts teetering until he falls to the ground. Barely conscious, he is barely able to shape out a person when they rob him and run away, leaving the teen on the floor with a huge headache.

'No… I gotta…chase him…' Red thought. He tries his best to get up only to be rewarded with failure when his body falls to the floor, his consciousness fading. 'Can't…let them escape…'

'No…I got to do something…Anything…' As he thought this, he tried his best to move his hand to one of his Pokeballs. Able to touch the release button on the capsule, he succeeds in releasing Luxio from its sphere who looks at him with a worried and confused expression.

_'Red, are you alright? What on earth happened to you?'_ He asked. The Electric type then notices the sign on Red's hand which signals him to use Spark. It nods, using the move but starts worrying when he sees the next sign that the teen gave him.

_'Are you sure? Do you really want me to use this attack on you? What if you get seriously hurt?'_ Luxio started to protest before the trainer nodded and pleaded with it. Giving up and listening to its trainer's pleadings, it raises its paw which is glowing with electricity before touching the drowsy teen, resulting in a shock that travels through Red's entire body. The attack instantly knocks the trainer out of his dizziness despite the pain, making him able to stay conscious when he moves and stops his Pokemon before the damage becomes more severe.

"Thanks, Luxio." The teen stated as the Electric type nodded. _'Glad to help.'_

_'REEEEEEEDD!'_ Both of them hear a voice as they look around before Red realizes that Meowth is not beside him.

Understanding what is happening, the raven haired teen, along with Luxio, follow the direction of the sound, worry clouding the trainer's mind. As they ran through the ship, they both found the thief, shaking off the cream colored kitten whose teeth were sunken in his leg. Before he was able to release his Pokeball, he was knocked aside by Luxio, descending to the ground as Red takes back his items before he retreats from the man.

"Who are y-" Red could not finish his statement when he hears a snap of a camera.

He then turns to see a camera pointed at his face as another flash came, making him shield his eyes from the intense light. When he opens them, he sees two people, a man with brown hair and eyes and a tan complexion with the device in his hands however what got Red's attention is the person at the back, who upon seeing him with Meowth before kicking it which immediately conjure up all the rage and anger that the teen tries to hold back a couple minutes ago.

"To think you would stoop so low…as to steal my Pokemon…again?" Klaus said in a fake surprised voice, a smug smile on his face. Red then notices another camera on the assistant, recording him as the time went by. "The first time you tried to steal my shiny Gyarados and now you're stealing my shiny Feebas! I gave you a chance last time. I thought you would change but once a robber, always a robber!"

As the man said this, he motioned for Clarence to end the recording to which he did, smiling at the results before he turned his gaze to Red. "You like the acting? I surprise myself all the time. Now I guess it is time that I get my prize, boy."

The teen glares with anger burning in his eyes at the man, about to retreat when he sees the fisherman taking the camera and playing the video. Seeing the video, Red clicks his teeth when the video shows him looking like the villain once again before he realizes that Clarence acted the role of a victim for the video. Once it is finished, Klaus hands the device back to Clarence before he speaks again. "Unless you want a repeat of last time, I suggest you give us your Feebas and we'll leave you alone. I'd hate to put your partner through any…issues. She was…so happy and enthusiastic to be in the tournament. I wonder how she would feel if she saw this. Now that I think about it, she looks pretty. She could sell for a good amount."

"Why…are you doing this?" Red said, his hands clenching into fists, trying his best not to lash out at the two men for what they said about Leaf.

"Why, you ask? I just want to be rich...and I'm willing to do anything to reach that goal. Sitting around everyday fishing is not going to get me to that so I have to think big. You'll be surprised at how much money people will pay for a shiny Pokemon." The man explained, chuckling softly as he said each word.

"Also, do you think that you're in a position to refuse at this moment?" The man continued when his assistant flaunted around his camera, smirks on both their faces as they awaited the teen's decision. Words could not express Red's emotions as he tries to find a way to destroy the recording only to be interrupted, about to use Meowth and Luxio before he sees Klaus takes out a phone and making a call before saying. "The clock is ticking, boy."

As he does this, the raven haired teen could only obey as he takes out Feebas' ball.

'…no…'

He then reluctantly trades his Pokemon with the fisherman who smiled upon receiving it, looking at his newly acquired shiny Pokemon with a smirk on his face.

'…why…'

Red looks at his Pokeball, releasing it to see a Poliwag who looks at him before seeing the broken look on his face along with Meowth and Luxio. They all hug their trainer who had tears running out of his eyes like a flood, falling down against the wall as he punches the floor. 'Damn it! He's gonna win again, just like that tournament.'

"It was nice doing business with you." Klaus said as he walked off, chucking the ball in the air.

'Nothing changed. This is the same way I lost the Gyarados to him.' The teen thought before his eyes started to widen as he remembered something that stung his heart.

'…it is the same way I lost Pikachu…' The realization made him angry and broken as he can only watch the man walk with his teeth clenched, seeing the blue tadpole next to him trying to comfort him which makes him look at it before something clicks in his mind.

'Wait!' Red thought, taking out his Pokedex and reading Poliwag's description before he found something that made his eyes light with hope. He then looks at the Water type with a smile before he points at the two men and mutters one word.

"Hypnosis."

Poliwag then turns around to the direction of the two men, its eyes glowing and the patterns on his belly swirling, making them disorientated as they fall to the ground.

"You wanna play like that. Let's play by your rules." Red said as he got up from the ground and approached the two men. Klaus is only able to look from the corner of his eye when he sees the teen approaching him, feeling fear as he notices the boy's eyes staring down at him as they glow in anger.

'Not again. I won't let them take another member. I have to try at least.' The teen mentally stated as he took up Feebas' capsule, ready to give back Poliwag when he hears its voice, turning to see the Pokemon walking up to him.

_'I don't want to go back. Not back to that man. He's mean and terrible. All he does is beat me.'_ The tadpole said, rubbing itself. Red then notices the various scratches and scars on it which made him angry before he turns his glare to the two men, seeing them getting up off the floor only to fail as he commands for another Hypnosis.

"You little shit! You fucking little shit!" Klaus yelled in a tone that caused his assistant to cower in fear.

"Do you think you're just going get away with this? Huh?! I can end your career! I can get you in jail within minutes, boy!"

Red simply smiles as he puts his hands in his pockets which only angers the man further when he tries to get up but fails due to the effects of Hypnosis. The man then grits his teeth before he hears something. "Sucks, doesn't it? You can't do anything right now? Not a single thing. Just stuck to the floor. Hope ya like it because I'm done."

"You damn child! Do you know who I am? My name is Klaus Von Clermont! I can get you killed for this! I can make this tournament be a living hell for you and your partner! I'll kill you! That Feebas should be mine!" Klaus yelled, panting as he finished. Red crouches down in front of the man, resisting the urge to punch him in the face as he exhales to calm himself down.

"Alright, let's play by your rules then. How about this? We're going to have a battle tomorrow at the tournament. Let's decide everything in that battle. If I win, you're going to stop stealing from other trainers for your profit." The raven haired teen stated clearly with a serious expression on his face. Klaus and Clarence look at the teen incredulously before the both of them erupt in laughter.

"You actually think you still have the advantage here just because you have back your Pokemon. I'm still here! I'm still around! Even if I lose the battle tomorrow, I can simply get you in jail by saying that you stole my Feebas! You should know that it's impossible to face me! I have you on video. All I need to do is show this and you'll find yourself behind bars! Do you remember what happened last time?! I have people on my side and what do you have! Nothing! Everyone will believe me! They'll never think that Klaus robbed a trainer! They will all be on my side! You will fail and I will enjoy making you suffer, child!" The man said, his assistant nodding at every sentence that the man stated.

"Do you think that you're in a position to refuse at this moment?" Red stated as he pulled his Pokegear out of his pocket, much to the men's confusion. He then presses a couple buttons on the device before the recording starts to play. Klaus' eyes widens when the device plays everything that he states in the last few minutes before the teen stops the recording. The man could only watch as the teen plays it again, making sure that this time he would get his position in this situation.

"I think you should know what would happen if this were to be released to the police." Red said, putting the device in his pocket as he awaits the man's decision. The man could only growl in irritation before he thinks of his options and the situation that he's in, having to make the decision that burns every fiber of his pride.

"Fine. I hope you keep your end of your promise, brat." Klaus admitted.

"But…" He continued as he glared at the teen. "…you need to beat me without losing a single Pokemon. You forget I still have the video of you and even if you break the camera that we have now, Clarence already uploaded it to my computer."

Hearing the man's demands causes Red to click his tongue as he thinks seriously before he looks at Feebas' Great Ball, Klaus reminding him of the bullies in his past. He was always bullied because of his eyes but he realized that he never fought back. He never retaliated. He just took it as him being unfortunate. However, now he has a choice, the fisherman may have gotten him before but he won't back down this time. His grip tightened on the ball as he went to do something that his past self would never think of doing. 'This is not my fight anymore. We're fighting together.'

Red nodded to Klaus' demand, much to the man's delight when he tries his best to hide a smile while he and his assistant is released from Hypnosis, making them able to walk away in a dizzy pace, on their way to their rented room. When they are far enough, Clarence whispers to the man. "Are you sure that you want him to have him walking with that evidence on him?"

"We don't have a choice. We fucked up by giving him that Pokemon. If we fight him then, he would win this battle because of that damn tadpole! We're going to have to cover our tracks before the end of tomorrow." Klaus whispered angrily as they both reach the front door of his room. The assistant opens the door and closed it as he sits on his bed, trying his best to shake off the grogginess from his system. Klaus however sits at his chair as he takes out a laptop and made some research as he growls and say. "That brat may have gotten the hit on us now however tomorrow…oh tomorrow…I will give him hell."

He chuckles as he imagines the look of devastation on the teen's face before he mutters one last sentence to himself.

"I'm gonna enjoy seeing him suffer."

Red goes towards the recreational area when he notices Leaf who seems to be looking around for someone. As she lays her eyes on him, she briskly walks towards him with a pouty face, grabbing his arm before she asked. "Red! Where were you? Why have you not answered my calls or texts?"

The teen looks at her in confusion before he checks his Pokegear, now recognizing the multiple alerts he got from the brunette.

'Uh oh…' He thought. He was about to type his reason before Leaf snatched the device and put it in her bag while she strengthened her grip on his arm, leading him to a table as they both sit down.

"I want you to talk, Red. That's your punishment." She said, glaring at him and keeping her hold on him to prevent him from escaping.

"I'm sorry. I…I was…" He looks around for an excuse until his eyes lay on Poliwag when he takes it up and continues. "This little guy got lost on the ship and I was trying to get him back into the water however he wanted to come along with me."

_'That wasn't what happened...but the ending part was correct.'_ The Water type commented.

"Just roll with it." Red whispered. Upon hearing the explanation, Leaf sighs before she orders some food, waiting patiently on it with her arms crossed. The raven haired trainer was going to ask a question before she interrupted him. "Just make sure you call me next time. I understand that you like to do things alone but you're still injured. If you have any problems, I can help, you know. That's what friends are for."

As he hears this, Red's eyes widens before he smiles at the mention of the word 'friend', nodding to her as she explains to him all about what he missed in the tournament. After an hour of talking and eating, both teens get up as Leaf go outside of the ship, standing by the railing as she allows the sea breeze to hit her, making her hair dance along with the wind. She gazes at her partner, a giggle coming out of her mouth as she watches him observing the various Pokemon on the ship and playing with Poliwag before he takes out another capsule which she immediate recognizes as Feebas' Great Ball.

"Hey, Poliwag. I want you to meet Feebas, I feel like you two are gonna be great friends." The teen said as the tadpole nodded, excited to see another member of his team. _'I'm so excited to see her.'_

_'Children…'_ Meowth said as she simply dipped her paw in the pool, playing with the water as she used her tail to mess with Luxio. _'Can you please stop that, woman?!'_

_'Stop what? What did I do?'_ Meowth feigned ignorance. The Electric type scoffs and gets up, moving to another location where he plops down and lays his head between his paws. The silence however was short lived as Meowth plays with him again, annoying the lynx until he gives in to his anger and chases the Normal type around the pier. _'Wait until I get my paws on you!'_

Red then throws the Great ball in the air which instead of releasing Feebas, it lets out a serpentine Pokemon which surprised him, Leaf and the rest of his Pokemon as the serpent yawns and opens its eyes, saying. _'Yes, master. What is wrong? Why do I feel different?'_

_'Is this my new big sister?!' _Poliwag asked as it wobbles to the new Pokemon, getting its attention.

_'Big sister? I like that. Indeed, young one I am your big sister.'_ The serpentine Pokemon said in a smug tone.

Upon hearing the voice, Red simply froze as he said one word, his tone shrouded in confusion.

"FEEBAS?!"

**Man. Another one done. I'm pretty proud of this one because Red finally gets to stand up for himself. Also, I hope you like the fact that Red now has a Poliwag. For those of you who don't know, Poliwag is Red's first Pokemon in the PokeSpe manga which is awesome because it's honestly one of my favorite Water types. Initially I was going to make Leaf help Red with this but I'm sorry, I wanted this to be essential to Red's character arc. I've talked long enough. Thanks for reading my story. Hope you love it and if you have anything to say about it, you can say it. Tell me how you feel about the story so far and next one is coming soon. Thanks again, please take care of yourselves out there. Enigma out!**


	32. Chapter 31: A Fisherman's Duel

Leaf's eyes flutter open, awaken by the noise coming from the alarm, much to her annoyance until she gets up and turns off the clock. Letting out a yawn and stretching herself, the brunette looks around the room before she realizes that her roommate is not in his bed or in the bathroom until she sees a message on her Pokegear, opening it to see a text message from Red saying.

'Morning, Leaf. I'm getting some training done at Route 11. I should be back by 7 AM.'

Leaf sighs after she reads the message, dropping the device on her bed.

'He should be taking it easy but here he is training. Might as well get some done myself.' She thought, stretching once again to shake the sleepiness out of her body. She then gets herself ready, making her way towards Route 11 and informing Red that she's on her way. As she reaches the road, she then sees the raven haired trainer, hatless and sitting as his Meowth and Luxio are running about the area. She walks closer to the teen to see his Clefairy resting beside him with his cap on its head, the wind making his hair dance in the air. The brunette smiles deviously as a plan came on her head before she sneaks towards the boy, being quiet as possible.

"Boo!" She jumped on Red, frightening the poor teen along with Clefairy as they both clutched their chest. The girl giggles at their reaction, hugging and rubbing cheeks with the boy who glares at her before he stands up and walks away with her following along.

"C'mon, Red. It's funny. You should've seen the look on your face." The brunette said, laughing between words. The raven haired teen sighs as he wanders further down the road with Leaf who releases her Pokemon. For an hour, both teenagers trained until one of their Pokegear beeped, signaling the end of their session. They then went back to the Pokemon Center, healing their teams and eating breakfast before they make their way to the S.S. Anne with their upcoming battle on their mind. As they get through and made their way to the field in which they're battling, Red notices Klaus glaring at him with a face that could put a Salamence to shame.

"Greetings, everyone! Are you ready for the first battle of the quarter finals of the tournament?" The announcer exclaimed, receiving a wave of cheers and screams that shows the excitement of the crowd. Hearing the noise from the audience, Red whistles in awe before he hears the continuation of the announcer's speech.

"That's the spirit! Hold on to your chairs and don't sleep like a Snorlax! On one side, we have two trainers on their gym challenge. Don't let them having two badges fool you, they're showing us that they are no pushovers! Give it up for Red Fires and Leaf Green!"

As their names are called, everyone hollered at the top of their lungs as Red and Leaf walk to the arena, the brunette waving at the crowd while her partner covers his face with the brim of his cap, feeling immense nervousness despite fighting on the arena multiple times. Reaching their side of the arena, the announcer resumed as he called out the next two people who they will be facing off against.

"Now the next two people have someone that people know too well! A man known for his fishing skills and rare Pokemon collection and achievements! Give it up for Klaus Von Clermont, one of the best fisherman in the Kanto region and his partner from our sister region Johto, Clarence! C'mon out on the field!"

The audience once again erupts, their cheers resonating the area as the two men approaches on the field, both waving to the people in the stands before they reach their side of the arena, awaiting the announcer's instruction. Within the crowd inspecting the match is Yellow, who is anxiously awaiting the fight until Blue sits beside her, carrying a tray of popcorn, hotdogs and sodas and offers her one.

"So it's Leafy against Klaus, huh? How do you think this battle is gonna go?" The spiky haired teen asked, taking a sip of his soda as he waited for the blonde's response.

"Leaf's no joke but Klaus isn't a pushover either…from what I've seen with his previous fights, Clarence is certainly gonna be hard though. He's very good with accessing the weakness of his opponents so this battle can go either way." Yellow stated, taking a bag of popcorn while watching the match. Blue notices that she has not mention Red, understanding the reason as she tries to hide the frustration on her face with a smile.

"What about the girl's partner?" Both of them were frightened when they heard a voice behind them, turning to see a boy with purple hair and aqua blue eyes looking down on them, his arms crossed as he sits in the seat behind them. Awaiting the blonde's answer, he hears her huffing before she crosses her arms with an angered look on her face.

'She's still messed up from her battle with him. In all honestly, I didn't expect him to be a good battler. I wonder…if that accident didn't happen. Would we still be friends?' Blue thought, not realizing the thoughts surfacing in his head before he shakes them out.

"He's not bad." Yellow admitted, continuing to eat her popcorn as her savanna colored eyes made themselves on the field, right into Red's direction.

"Not bad?! The dude's like a damn artillery! He's fighting style is weird too but it works! I mean, how does someone make a Meowth look good? I don't fricking know but he does somehow!" One of the Cooltrainer girls babbled at the blonde, swinging her hands dramatically with other trainers behind her agreeing.

"This person, Red, is it? He's not normal, he's very calculating. Plus, he fights in a way that lets out the instincts and strengths of a Pokemon. It's almost like he's making his Pokemon do whatever they want and helping them throughout the fight but he's commanding them at the same time." The purple haired boy stated calmly while eyeing the field.

Hearing the comments from the different participants made Yellow uncomfortable as she looks down at the red capped teen, her look changing from annoyance to jealously and then to rage. She was however knocked out of her stupor as she flick on her forehead, looking at Blue who has a smirk on his face.

"Who cares how strong he is? He ain't gonna beat us. We're going to have fun knocking them out of this tournament. We'll just show them what we're made of. Right, blondie?" When he said this, his face smirk grew, encouraging a laugh from the blonde. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looks at Blue before muttering something with a huge smile on her face.

"Thanks, Blue."

Before anything else, the spiky haired brunette turned to the purple haired teen, looking at him with a cocky grin before saying. "Look, Zane. Red may be unpredictable but he won't beat us. He's just a speed bump."

Zane was about to state something until he was interrupted which brought his attention, along with everyone else onto the field.

"I think we all know that this is a battle that we won't forget. So without further ado, let the first match of the quarter-finals will begin!" The announcer exclaimed before the referee comes to the middle of the stage, lifting his flags. After a couple seconds have passed, he swiftly descends the flags which signals the start of the match.

"Gastrodon, you know what to do!" Klaus shouted, throwing an Ultra Ball in the air, the device releasing a blue slug Pokemon on the field. His partner, Clarence, lets out an Ice type on the field that looks like a bigger version of Eevee as it gracefully lands on the field. "Glaceon, stand your ground!"

"Buneary, let's go!" Leaf said as she got the Normal type on the field, waiting for Red to make his choice only to see the teenager with his hands in his pocket. '"Umm…Red?"

The referee was about to ask him to choose a Pokemon before one of his Pokeballs opened, revealing Clefairy who starts shadow boxing. Seeing the Fairy type made some of the onlookers in the crowd snicker and laugh including Blue as he said. "Seriously?! A Clefairy?! Never thought Red would be into that Pokemon?! He's really setting himself up for failure?!"

"That's new." Zane said, raising a brow before he looks at the girl who looks just as confused as him. Yellow, however, glares at the Pokemon which catches the young Oak's attention before he turns to her, wondering what's going on. "Uhh, Yel. You alright there?"

"Yeah…" She said absentmindedly, sighing before resuming. "That Clefairy is no pushover. It went toe to toe with Chuchu."

This caught Blue off guard when he looks at the Pokemon, crossing his arms as he anticipates the battle.

"This is your choice, huh? You want to fight this guy?" Red asked his Pokemon. The pink fairy turns to him and nods before saying. _'Oh yeah! I want revenge for what they did, starting with this guy.'_

The raven haired trainer simply nods before he hears a command being made, surprising him and Leaf.

"Gastrodon, use Water Pulse to create a wall of water."

"Glaceon! Ice Beam on the water!"

After the commands are made, they could not say anything quick enough as a large wave of water is created, knocking both of them away and separating the field before it is immediately frozen, much to everyone's surprise. Leaf gets up, not seeing Red beside her but only a wall of ice, worry roaming her mind before she yells his name. "Red! Red! Are you there?"

Hearing a beep from her Pokegear, she takes out the device, seeing a message from Red saying that he is alright, much to her relief. She then realizes something as she yelled at the wall. "Why don't you just yell out?!"

She receives another message, looking at the device before she read the message.

"I'm not sure if I could yell that loud. Don't worry. Just continue the fight. I'll be alright."

Sighing, she types an 'ok' in her message before she gazes at her opponent Clarence who waits patiently for her until she made her first command. "Alright, Buneary! Jump Kick now!"

"Ice Shard to stop it, Glaceon." The man said, his hand outstretched. The Ice type's eyes glowed as shards appear from its fur before shooting towards Buneary, who stopped its attack to dodge the speedy projectiles. Realizing this, Clarence commands for another barrage of Ice shard, Buneary dodging the attacks while knocking some away with Thunder Punch as it made its way towards its opponent.

"Why did you do this? What did you split us apart?" Leaf said, annoyance and frustration in her tone. Clarence looked at the female trainer before he closed his eyes and said. "Mr. Klaus wishes to speak with that boy privately so this was the only way to do so."

"What the? Like hell it is?! What if it hit us?" She said before turning to the referee and then continuing. "Shouldn't they be disqualified for that, ref?"

"Not really. This is a tactic that has been used before by other participants in previous tournaments so it's ok. As long as neither you or your partner are not harmed, it is valid." The announcer stated clearly which made Clarence smile at the answer.

"Fine. Let's get this going. Buneary, Jump Kick once more." Leaf said as her Pokemon prepares for another attack.

Seeing the ice pillar separating him from his partner, Red approaches the wall and was about to inspect it until he was interrupted by a Water Pulse that he barely dodges, surprising the crowd and making him glare at Klaus. Across the field behind Gastrodon is the man, laughing heartily before he hardens his expression, anger burning in his eyes.

"Now there's no one that can save you now." The man said with his arms crossed before he made a command. "Gastrodon, Water Pulse!"

The blue slug shoots the move towards Clefairy who quickly mimicked it under Red's instructions which cause both attacks to clash with each other, creating a cloud of smoke. Waiting for the results of the collision, the man was surprised when the Fairy type emerges from the mist, landing a Mega Punch in Gastrodon's face and knocking it back. As the pink fairy retreats to its side of the field, it and Red are caught off guard when the Water type lets out another Water Pulse while it's in midair. Out of desperation, he quickly calls a move to his Pokemon before the attack could hit. "Copycat again."

Clefairy's eyes glows, about to use the move until it hears a whisper from its trainer, nodding before it stretches its arms towards the water which made it slowly rise. Klaus smiles when he sees his Gastrodon's attack made contact to the Pokemon, not able to notice the geyser that Clefairy made before, smiling as he thinks that the pink fairy was knocked into the water.

"You didn't stand a chance!" Klaus said, chuckling between words. The audience witness the fight with mixed expressions, watching in excitement Leaf holds her own when her Buneary lands a Jump Kick on Glaceon before following up with Double Hit in her bout while they watch in disappointment as her partner, Red, does not seem to be holding up in his battle with as much skill and vigor as his companion. Klaus notices the small smile on his opponent's face before something hopped out of the water right in front of Gastrodon which he recognizes to be Clefairy, unable to react fast enough when the blue slug is sent into the air by a Mega Punch from the Fairy type.

Seeing his Pokemon in midair, Klaus clicks his teeth before he shouts a command quickly after an observation of his situation. "Body Slam now!"

Gastrodon expands its body as it starts falling, positioning itself until it slams into Clefairy and crushing it onto the floor under its weight. Red could only watch as his Pokemon struggle underneath the slug, worry clouding his mind as he brings his Pokeball to return.

_'Don't return me. A man should be able to handle this much.' _Clefairy said to him with a smile. Red simply nodded, putting back his Pokeball before he gets an idea and then mutters a command. "Alright. Use Mega Punch to lessen the pressure."

Folowing its trainer's instructions, the pink fairy's fists start to glow as it lifts the slug off the ground before it sends a barrage of punches to the its stomach, knocking it upwards once again. Seeing Gastrodon landing on another platform, Klaus was about to voice a command before he notices his opponent's Pokemon still on the offense, lunging forward and landing a Wake Up Slap before ending the assault with a Mega Kick, using the shockwave to retreat.

"Mud Bomb while it's in the air!" The man thought fast as he saw the Fairy type flying back to its side of the field. His Pokemon obeyed as it shot a barrage of mud balls at its foe, catching it off guard and hitting it which made it descend into the water. Clefairy pops out of the water only to be attacked by another Mud Bomb attack, going underwater to avoid the move, much to Red's frustration. After various attempts at coming out of the water, he notices something before he smiles and whispers something to the pink fairy who looks at him in confusion, seeing his determined face before nodding. _'Got it, boss.'_

The Fairy type goes back under the surface to avoid another Mud Bomb before Red feels a tremor through the ice wall, his mind in worry as he thinks about Leaf.

'I hope she's doing alright.'

"Buneary, Thunder Punch then Jump Kick!"

Buneary dashes across the field, punching Glaceon into the ground. The Ice type tries to get up only for it to fail as its body starts twitching uncontrollably as electricity emits from its skin, much to Clarence's dismay. The man was about to make another command before he noticed that the Normal type is nowhere to be found, looking up to see it in the sky, voicing a command only to fail as the Ice type became too paralyzed to move. Recognizing the situation he is in, he could only watch helplessly as his Glaceon receives a kick to the face, knocking it unconscious, much to the man's horror. Being announced the winner, the brown rabbit celebrates in victory before hopping over to Leaf, receiving a hug from the girl.

"Nice job, Buneary!" She said to which Buneary puffs out its chest and nods with a smile on its face.

"Return." Clarence said, returning his Glaceon back into its capsule. He takes out a green Pokeball and throws it into the air, releasing a Pokemon that looks like a bigger version of Roselia, the flowers on its arms bloom to roses and its head being white with a green mask on its face. Upon seeing the Grass type, Leaf's eyes marveled at its beauty while Buneary gets up, ready for another brawl.

"Oh cool! A Roserade! Alright, Buneary. Let's conti-" The brunette said before one of her Pokeballs opened, releasing her Roselia unto the field who makes a spin before bowing which earned a giggle from its trainer. The Grass type looks at its evolution before it turns to Buneary, both Pokemon speaking to each other until Buneary reluctantly nods, hopping beside Leaf while Roselia stays on the field. Both trainers were ready to fight until they notice that the sky was dark, droplets of water falling unto the field, dampening the trainers and the audience. Leaf then notices an awning portruding from the sides of the stadium, sheltering the audience from the rain which made her pout. 'I wish I brought an umbrella with me.'

Red and Klaus continue facing off each other as Clefairy secures another hit on Gastrodon, stunning it before the Fairy type is able to return back to Red's side of the field. The fisherman could barely have any time to think when the pink fairy lunges forward once more, about to land another attack before he yells a move in desperation. "Water Pulse."

Gastrodon shoots the move that was powered up by the rain towards the Fairy type, much to Red's dismay when he had a few seconds to react, his mouth moving on reflex when he voices a move. "Copycat."

Clefairy copies the blue slug's attack, creating its own Water Pulse which is smaller than its opponent despite the boost from the rain. Upon Red's instructions, the pink fairy waits until Gastrodon's move gets close until it unleashes the aquatic orb, resulting in a clash before Gastrodon's attack slowly starts to overpower its foe's, pushing the orbs towards Clefairy's direction, much to Red's dismay.

"Use Mega Punch on your Water Pulse, Clefairy!" He said as he adjusted his cap to keep the raindrops from hitting his face.

Nodding, his Pokemon dashes forward, punching the attack which resulting in the force of the move thrusting the orb onwards. Klaus watches in amusement as Clefairy struggles against Gastrodon's Water Pulse, laughing heartily until he witnesses both moves erupting in a watery explosion which causes both him and his Pokemon to shield their eyes from the blast. When he opens his eyes, he is about to state his victory before he notices the pink fairy sprinting forward with its fists glowing, pummeling the blue slug until it cupped both hands together and then slamming them unto its head, sending it face first on the floor. The man froze, screaming orders at the Water type only to see swirls around its eyes which signals its unconsciousness.

"Damn it!" Klaus exclaimed angrily, his hands clenching into fists. He glares at Red and his Clefairy while returning his Pokemon, malicious thoughts clouding his mind before he grabs his next Pokeball and viciously throws it in the air, releasing a Tentacruel into the water. Seeing the Water type and then at his pink partner's exhausted state, the raven haired trainer takes out his Pokeball to return his Fairy type until he hears a command from Klaus, seeing the jellyfish shoot a blast of acid which hit the pink fairy, knocking it to the floor, much to Red's dismay as his eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no, Clefairy!" The red capped trainer yelled. Seeing that the Pokemon is not moving, he looks at it hopelessly before glaring at Klaus who is enjoying the scene. "N-no…"

"Isn't that sad? Boo hoo! Well. A deal is a deal, brat. I hope that you'll keep your end." The man said happily, his hands on his hip.

Red clenches his teeth in frustration until he notices something that made his eyes widen. On the field was his Clefairy, trying to stand up until it fell on one knee, panting heavily.

"How did you-" Klaus said, unable to complete his phrase. The raven haired trainer notices a piece of a yellow berry in the pink fairy's hand. 'That's a Sitrus Berry…but I never gav-"

_'Oh? He still had that on him. Didn't know the gift I gave him yesterday would come in handy.' _Meowth said in a bored tone, making Red look at her. Realizing the situation, he quickly returns the Fairy type before Klaus could think of anymore sneak attacks. The teen smiles at Meowth, stroking her chin which made it let out a relieved purr. _'Huh? What was that forrrrr?'_

"Thank you." He said to the Normal type who blushed before turning her face away. _'I dunno what you're talking about. I didn't do anything...'_

Red smiles at the cat before he turns his gaze towards Klaus, moving his cap to the side. Upon seeing the teen's eyes, the man involuntarily shudders in fear before noticing the trainer tossing a Pokeball in the air, revealing Luxio.

"How are you feeling, Luxio? You ready?" Red asked the lynx who nodded as it got into a battle stance. _'Definitely. I want payback for what he did at Cerulean.'_

_'Go, Luxio! You can do it!'_ Meowth cheered in a teasing tone for the Electric type who then glared at her before he heard something, dodging a Toxic attack that went into the water. Clicking his teeth in anger, Klaus gets ready to voice another attack until Red commands for his Luxio to use Charge, making it absorb electricity. Looking at the blue and black lynx glowing, the man starts worrying until he made an order. "Acid now!"

"Stay in one spot and use Spark." As the teen said this, Luxio surrounded itself with electricity, the attack much stronger than usual which dissolved the Acid move, much to Klaus and the audience's attention.

'Phew. Good thing we practiced a counter strategy for Misty's little platform technique and for Water types. It's paying off. Now for part two.' The red eyed trainer thought before he made another command. "Now focus the electricity into your paw and then put it into the water."

Obeying, one of Luxio's paw starts glowing brightly before it dips it into the water, causing the entire pool to become electrified which shocks Tentacruel who cries in pain. Klaus just clenches his fist, a vein imprinted on his forehead before he yells a command. "Surf to evade the attack, Tentacruel!"

"Use Charge to endure the attack."

The Poison type summons a huge tidal wave which collides unto the Electric type who uses Charge, creating a veil of electricity. Taking the attack with barely any damage, Luxio was caught off guard when it was grabbed by Tentacruel's tentacles which held it in place, much to Red's dismay. "Oh no! Luxio."

"Good, Tentacruel. Now use Acid." Klaus said with a huge smirk on his face. His Pokemon obeys as it lets out a stream of purple acid from its mouth which made contact with the blue lynx who cries in pain. The raven haired teen grits his teeth, thinking quickly while he watches Luxio suffering from the assault of Wrap and Acid before he gets an idea.

"Spark now! Let out all the electricity in your body!"

When he said this, the Electric type did not waste a second, releasing the electricity charged in its body. Getting electrocuted from the move, the blue jellyfish's grip on the blue lynx loosen which made its opponent wiggle free before it heard something. Once freed, Luxio jumps over to a platform, leaving a heavily injured Tentacruel in the pool, much to Red's joy until he notices the Electric type tired state, struggling to stand. He notices a purple glow on the Pokemon before it descends, falling victim to its new condition. 'What the? That's -'

"Toxic. Your Luxio's poisoned now and I'm not letting it escape this time." Klaus said tauntingly. He laughs until he notices Luxio's growling with a wild look in its eyes as the hairs on its body starts spiking up, sparks starts to surround it, its glare starting to unnerve the man.

"Luxio. Y-you alright?" Red asked the Electric type who nodded. _'I'm…ok. I still…got some fight in me.'_

"Ok. Now Bite." The raven haired trainer commanded with his hand outstretched. The Pokemon nods before lunging forward, its speed increasing exponentially due to the adrenaline boost from its Guts ability.

"Surf now, Tentacruel!" Klaus exclaimed in desperation which proved to fail when he witnessed the Electric type charging through the move, unaffected by the attack. The fisherman could barely say anything when Luxio appears in front of Tentacruel and sinks its fangs into the Water type's scales before it ruthlessly slams it on the floor and then throws it away, making it collide into the ice wall, much to the man's worry.

"Spark! / Surf!"

As both trainers yell their attacks, their Pokemon respond with Tentacruel using Surf which is stronger than its previous attempts, getting more powerful as it travels across the field. While this is happening, Luxio's body starts crackling with electricity until it uses Spark that became bigger and uncontrollable, ready to run before it hears another command by its trainer. "Run up the ice wall to dodge the Surf."

_'You got it.'_

In an instant, Luxio rushes up the ice wall, avoiding the Surf attack before it appears right in front of Tentacruel, surprising both it and its trainer. Klaus could not do anything when in a split second, his Pokemon was sent to the frozen wall, making a dent and causing ice chunks to fall into the water as a result. The man's eyes widened when he saw Tentacruel in the water, immobile and unable to respond to his shouts before he looks towards another platform, a smile on his face when he notices Luxio sprawled out on the platform.

'At least I got a Pokemon down. It's over, kid.' He thought, seeing the referee take a look at the Electric type before making his final announcement, much to his joy.

"C'mon, Luxio." Red said, getting no response from the lynx. "We have gone through much worse situations before and you never back down then. You can do this."

_'Luxio! You better get up right now! Because if you lose, I'm not making you live this down.'_ Meowth shouted towards the Electric type, her tone surprising Red.

Seeing no movement from Luxio or Tentacruel, the referee descends his flags as he exclaims the results of the battle. "Tentacruel and Luxio are unable to battle thus-"

While he is doing so, Klaus could not be happier, his smile getting bigger as each word came out of the referee's mouth along with spectating the expression on his opponent's face distort more to horror and desperation. The man tries his best to hold back his laughter, knowing that he may not be able to win the match but he won the bet and got what he wanted which is the shiny Feebas. Once again, he has won. Once again, he has shown Red who is boss. Once again, he got away with everything. Once again, he got what he wanted.

"It is a ti- What's this?" The announcer stated, his gaze on the field. Klaus could not finish his thought when he hears no more words are being said, his smile broadening as he thinks that he has won before his gaze goes on the field, his expression falling while his mouth reveals his mental comment towards the situation.

"H-how? HOW?!"

On the field is Luxio, standing tall despite the injuries from the battle and the poison condition that is affecting it, much to Red's joy and to the audience's surprise. The Electric type turns to its trainer, sharing a smile to each other when it receives a thumbs up from the raven haired teen. _'I…will not…go down...I made a promise and I plan to keep it…'_

_'…Also, she won't stop bothering me…' _He said which got a smile from Meowth. _'Aww. I know you like it.'_

"Woah… That kid's Luxio is no joke."

"It took all that punishment and is still standing."

"Man! This battle was awesome!"

Yellow watches in awe at the Electric type's fighting spirit before she turns to Blue, her eyes widening in surprise at what she saw. He is smiling excitedly at the battle when the referee announced Luxio's victory which does not go unnoticed by Zane.

"This might turn into an upset…" Zane commented silently which caught Blue and Yellow's attention as the blonde asked a question. "What do you mean?"

Zane turns towards the duo before he speaks again. "I mean that the way that this battle is going. This Red kid looks like he's trying to 3-0 Klaus. Klaus is strong so most just would be glad to beat him but to want to beat him without losing a single 'mon…"

Turning towards the battlefield, he notices Klaus gripping unto a Great ball, an angry look on his face before he throws the capsule, revealing a shiny Gyarados on the field who roars, causing almost every person in the audience to be shiver by its appearance.

'So this is the famous Shiny Gyarados that's been taking out the competition.' Zane thought, seeing everyone's astonished expressions before he turns his gaze to Red who stood indifferent and unfazed towards the creature. 'Let's see how he fares against this.'

The teen in question holds up a Great Ball, looking at the blue capsule before he lifts his head to gaze at Gyarados, who seems to remember him which made it even angrier as it glares at him and Luxio, who is now sleeping beside him and healed of its poison. _'Oh! I remember you…and you're that damn Shinx...hope you're ready to die this time! It's time for payback!'_

Receiving a message on his Pokegear, surprise takes Red expression before he pulls out the device, reading the message from Leaf that says. "Almost done with my battle. One attack and his Litwick is history. How about yours?"

"Same." He typed before putting the device back into his pocket. Moving the brim of his hat towards his face and gripping the Great ball, the raven haired teen throws the ball into the sky which reveals a light that went into the ocean, surprising everyone as a serpentine Pokemon is shown as the particles starts fading. Upon seeing its beauty, most of the people in the crowd froze, their minds unable to register the new information correctly which lasts for seconds.

"A-a shiny Milotic?! How?!" Klaus said, not believing his eyes as he witness the Pokemon gracefully swimming around. Turning towards his direction, the Pokemon gives him a disgusted glare before it stays in one place, awaiting its trainer's orders until it locks eyes with Gyarados.

"You ready, Milotic?" Red said, not getting an answer when he sees the Water type being affected by Gyarados' Intimidate ability. Within a few seconds, he notices that its unnerved expression immediately gets replaced with an annoyed look, a fierce look in its eyes which made its opponent shiver. He was about to say something before he remembers something, his expression going to worried one as he mutters a few words. "Uh oh."

_'To look at me and try to intimidate me like this, it seems someone does not know their place here.'_ Milotic said in a dark tone before turning to Red. _'Let's waste him. There can be only one shiny on this field and that's me!'_

The trainer simply nods, not having much to say before he made a mental comment. 'I forgot that she's competitive when it comes to these things. It's gotten worse since she's evolved.'

He made a small smile and sighs before he turns his gaze at Klaus, noticing the man is about to make a command. "Ice Fang!"

"Dodge. Gain some distance." The raven haired teen said. Milotic avoids the attack, making sure to look graceful as it does so which causes Gyarados to be angered while Klaus mouthed another computer. "Continue attacking."

The battle resumes as the cream colored serpent dodges the attacks of its crimson counterpart who continues to lash out in anger due to being unable to its failed attempts. Klaus realizes that Gyarados is starting to become more enraged and slight uncontrollable, he voices an order. "Damn it. Use Twister!"

Hearing its trainer, the red serpent elevates its tail, the winds around the appendage swirling until it turns into a cyclone that travels towards the cream colored serpent. Red and Milotic shares a look and nod before the teen utters his move. "Water Pulse."

Milotic eyes and body starts glowing as it controls the water around it along with the rain which causes a few eyebrows to raise in the crowd. The water then forms itself around Twister, controlling the move before sending a water infused version of the attack towards Gyarados, knocking the Pokemon away and making it collide into a platform which made the audience gasp in disbelief.

"Wait! Water Pulse can be used like that?"

"Isn't Water Pulse just an orb or a wave of water?"

Among the confused crowd was Blue, who looks in disbelief and Yellow who is simply surprised. Zane looks on, slightly shocked as his mind making a comment. 'To think someone else is able to use Misty's tactic and so well too. Isn't he just a rookie?'

"Red…he's gonna be a challenge." Zane's partner who is a shaggy black haired teenager with dark brown eyes, sighed as he put a hand on his forehead.

"You're not wrong, Eric." Zane said before he looks down at Blue who is smirking before saying. "I can't wait to battle them."

"Water Pulse to end it, Watortle!" Leaf commanded with her arm outstretched. Her starter obeys, landing the final Water Pulse which is empowered due to the rain towards Litwick, the attack being so strong and huge that the Fire-type could not dodge it. Before long, the Pokemon is on the ground, the fire on its head doused out along with swirls in its eyes which signals Leaf's victory over Clarence.

"Yes! I won! Nice job, Wartortle!" She exclaimed, skipping happily along with her Buneary. She then jumps unto the platforms on the field, hugging her Wartortle before she hears the announcer. "Congrats on your victory! However, it seems that the match has not finished as of yet."

"Wait. What? I beat him." Leaf said, pointing at Clarence who returns his last Pokemon.

"True but your partner is still fighting."

Leaf blinks before she pulls out her Pokegear and starts texting Red to see how he's doing. As she waits, she then looks towards the ice wall and touches it, getting a chill across her body before she points towards it. "Water Pulse now, Watortle and don't stop until it's broken."

Watortle sends a Water Pulse towards the wall, followed by another which barely causes a dent. It tries again and again, creating cracks in the wall while Leaf watches until she hears a beep, checking her Pokegear.

'I'll be alright. I'm almost done.'

She smiled at the text, making her starter take a break for a few minutes before she continued again.

'I hope you're right, Red.'

"Aqua Tail!"

"Dragon Tail now, Milotic!"

Both serpents lunge forwards with their tails imbued with energy before they slam them towards each other, the clash resulting in a huge shockwave that parts the water which made it dampen their respective trainers. Gyarados soon starts overpowering Milotic, its immense strength making its cream colored counterpart before Red voices a counterattack. "Dragonbreath now!"

Nodding, Milotic uses the attack, the purple stream blasting the red serpent away and knocking it into the ice wall. Klaus could only watch as both serpents fight and clash with each other, both seemingly equal in power.

'I cannot believe this. How? How did he get a Milotic? How did his Feebas evolve?' The man thought while his Gyarados suffered from another Dragonbreath move, causing it to stagger before he yells a command. "Thunderbolt, Gyarados!"

Sparks fly from the red serpent's body before it releases the attack which in contact with the water, lights the entire field and making Milotic fall prey to the attack. As the move continues, Red could only watch the cream colored serpent suffer from the move before he notices Gyarados getting closer to his Pokemon until he hears a command from Klaus. "Now Ice Fang!"

"Dragon Tail as it gets close." Milotic waited, enduring the Thunderbolt with its tail glowing within the water as its opponent got closer. The moment that Gyarados is within range, it slams its tail on the red serpent, stunning it before it gets hit in the face by a Dragonbreath. Not willing to give up, the red serpent endures the attack, forcing itself through the flames before it sinks its fangs into its counterpart's scales, much to Klaus' joy. "That's good, Gyarados! Now Twister!"

Gyarados raises its tail, sending a tornado that traps Milotc, making Red worried and the smile on Klaus' face bigger. The cream colored serpent tries to escape only to be hit by the Twister and not able to swim as well before it notices that some of its scales are frozen. Annoyed by the uncomfortable feeling from its tail, Milotic uses Water Pulse to knock the ice from its tail, immediately feeling relief before it looks towards Red who instantly got a plan.

"Use Water Pulse to stop the Twister and increase your speed, Milotic. When you get close, hit it with Dragon Tail." He mutters. Nodding to the plan, it starts glowing before it disperses the Twister attack until it vanishes, surprising both Klaus and his Pokemon when it speedily hits the red serpent in the head with a Dragon Tail. Angered, Gyarados uses Bite despite its trainer's instruction, interrupted as it was outsped by Milotic who hit it again with a Dragon Tail. This continues for a while, making Klaus enraged by the skill of his opponent. 'How is this possible? I should be the one winning. I should be the stronger one. I…'

"THUNDERBOLT NOW, GYARADOS! FULL POWER!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, his tone frightening Red and everyone else. Gyarados nods before it uses the move, electrifying the pool along with Milotic which made it scream in pain.

"Oh no! Milotic!" Red said, worry in his tone. He then hears laughter before he looks at his opponent who starts yelling at him. "You put this on yourself, brat! I will not let you win! It's over! You may have beaten Gastrodon and Tentacruel but you will not be beating my Gyarados!"

Hearing the man continue ranting, the raven haired teen mind clicks when he remembers something. 'Wait! Tentacruel… Oh yeah! I can do that."

"Use Water Pulse to protect yourself, Milotic!" He said, confusing everyone.

Milotic starts glowing intensely before it cries to the sky, moving the electrified water away and creating a veil that protects it from the Electric type move. Upon Klaus instruction, Gyarados increases the power of its Thunderbolt which puts a slight pressure on its counterpart who screams in pain after it is hit by some of the electricity, much to Red's dismay. He contemplated taking out his Great Ball to return Milotic before the water surrounding it starts transforming into rings. Red curiously checks his Pokedex but is disappointed when he finds no results on the device until he hears Klaus muttering something. "Aqua…Ring…"

'Aqua Ring?' Hearing the move, the teen then looks towards his Pokemon, seeing that some of its wounds are healing thanks to the rings surrounding it. After it stops glowing, it blasts the electrified waters away, some of it hitting the red serpent, causing it to twitch uncontrollably due to the electricity. Seeing that his Pokemon is alright, Red sighs in relief before he heard Klaus yell their move. "Twister now!"

Gyarados then released a tornado to Milotic who waited on its trainer to voice his command. "Water Pulse now!"

Obeying the order, the cream colored serpent glows before transforming the Twister into a water vortex, reversing the attack to Gyarados and trapping it. Klaus looks in disbelief, anger coating him when he voices attacks for the attacks to get redirected back due to the Water Twister move which added to his rage.

"Dragonbreath into the Twister now." Red said. Hearing the order, Milotic uses the attack which covers the Twister, strengthening the move which made the attack shoot out of the water and into the air.

"What the…" Klaus said before noticing Gyarados in the sky along with everyone in the stands, surprise etched on their faces. Due to none of his commands being heard, he could only watch as Milotic jumps into the air, appearing right in front of the red serpent before he hears Red mutters a move. "Dragon Tail."

Milotic smiled as it uses the move, slamming its tail unto Gyarados which sends it falling towards the water, much to Klaus' dismay. Dumbfounded, the man watches as the Pokemon descends into the pool, its crash creating a huge wave to hit him which catches him off balance. Getting up and regaining his balance, his mind went blank when he saw his Gyarados unconscious and Milotic still swimming about.

"There's no way…" He mutters. Seeing the referee check his Pokemon for any signs of consciousness while his opponent waits, Red congratulating Milotic who simply lifts its head in confidence.

"H-how did he do it…?" He asked to no one. The man then watches the referee going back to his position before announcing to everyone that Red has won the match, much to the youth's excitement when he runs up and hugs his Milotic who looks away, trying to hold its blush.

"H-he did it…" The man said before he heard that his team lose the battle and that Red and Leaf win the match and will be proceeding to the next match.

"He won the match without losing a single 'mon…"

He then notices that the raven haired teen is looking at him while returning his Milotic and Luxio before he shakes his head, departing the battlefield with his Meowth following him, much to the man's anger.

"That…brat. That damn brat! That damn fucking brat!" Klaus said angrily. His mind starts to get clouded with rage until he feels a hand on his shoulder, turning to see Clarence. It took everything he had to not lash out in front of the crowd when he returns his Gyarados and exits the battlefield, one single thought clear in his mind. 'That brat's gonna feel hell on earth.'

"Woo! We're almost there! We're going to the semi-finals~" Leaf sings in excitement, skipping about the ship. They are escorted to a room of their own on the ship as a courtesy of reaching the semi-finals, getting towels and different clothing from the staff as an apology for their inconvenience in protecting the duo from the rain. After they dried themselves off, Red notices that Leaf is watching a recording of their match, her attention mostly on his part of the battle against Klaus. After she finished watching, the brunette had a surprised expression on her face when she turns to Red who is brushing Luxio and Meowth's fur. "I can't believe you 3-0'd Klaus. That's gotta sting."

Hearing the brunette's words made Red look down on the ground in deep thought, his mind not feeling much remorse for the man as he mutters a sentence. "…He deserved it…"

"Huh? What'd you say, Red?" Leaf asked as she finished drying her hair with a hairdryer, seeing him shake his head which had her raising a brow. Shrugging, she goes into the fridge to take out a bottle of milk, popping the cover when she sees that another match about to start, excitement in her eyes as she starts to watch it. Red simply plops on his bed, the exhaustion taking its toll on his body when his eyelids slowly close before he drifts off to sleep. This did not go unnoticed by Leaf who sees the slumbering teen before she puts the covers over him, taking a sip of her milk while playing with his hair.

"He really went all out today, huh?" She thought, twirling his hair between her fingers as she is watching the matches. "Sleep tight. You deserve it."

The day went by in a flash for both teens, mostly Leaf as she gets ready for sleep before she sees Red still sleeping on his bed, some of his Pokemon keeping guard as he does so. She giggles at them before she goes to bed, saying 'good night' to Red despite knowing that he won't be able to hear her. As she is about to go to sleep, she felt something moving as her Nidoran came up in the bed, cuddling with her as she smiled and gave it room on the bed before drifting off into the world of slumber.

**Alright. We're going steadily. Klaus has been wrecked and Milotic is alright. **

**…**

**What do you mean Klaus is angry and swore revenge? Nooo. Your eyes must be deceiving you.**

**…**

**You said that you're worried for Red despite his win against Klaus. He's gonna be alright. Trust me. **

***Everyone look at me skeptically***

**I kinda deserve that. Hope you guys like the episode and the smackdown that Red gave to Klaus. I know I did. I tried my best to put parts of Leaf's battle with Clarence in this battle. Hope y'all enjoy the chapter and sorry for it being much longer than usual. Also, you guys better stay healthy please. It ain't pretty out there. Alright. Enigma out!**


	33. Chapter 32: Intermission

Red wakes up from his bed with an intense pain coming from his head, earning a pained grunt from him as he climbs out of bed clumsily. Now sitting up, he places his hand on his head, surprised to see that he is covered in sweat, his body now registering the dampness of his clothes. "What the?"

He limps his way to the bathroom where he tries to get himself ready, the throbbing pain getting worse as he showers. Able to endure the discomfort, he finished his business in the bathroom, coming out with his hand on his head before he tried to go for a walk which ended in failure when he felt weak in his limbs.

"Red…" Red hears, turning around to see Leaf emerging from her bed, rubbing the sleep out of her eye. After doing so, she looks at him, seeing the slightly exhausted look on his face and then at the time before she shakes her head.

"It's early, Red. Go back to sleep. It's not even 4:30 AM yet and you're already going out to train." She complained, sitting on the edge of her bed and glaring at her roommate. The raven haired teen shook his hand which is his way of saying that he is alright. Leaf did not buy this, sprinting towards the door and blocking it when Red was about to leave the room. Red felt another wave of harsh pain on his head, making him stagger due to the discomfort. Before he could lose his balance and fall, the brunette catches him, escorting him to the bed.

"You're strong enough as it is, Red. So why are you going so far to train?" Leaf asks as she lays him on the bed. He couldn't answer as the headache intensifies, causing him to grab his head, curling into a ball as he got on the bed until the pain subsides. Waiting for an answer, she then sees him doing better as he rises again, showing her that he is doing alright. Despite informing her that he is doing alright, the brunette still made him rest, refusing to take any other answer which lead to him having to reluctantly obey. She then smiles at him, yawning before she brushes her hand across his face.

"Just rest for today, Red. We have no match for the next couple days." She said as she continues to pat his hair before she bites her lip, asked him a question with a tone that is showing worry. "Is there something that you want to talk about?"

Hearing what she said, Red slowly shakes his head which made the headache more unbearable as Leaf goes into the kitchen, telling him not to move and to wait while she does so. Confused, he looked at the Pokegear, seeing the date which arises thoughts in his mind. 'It's almost time. Just a week more before that day. I gotta win this tournament for the money.'

He then heard something footsteps, seeing Leaf come back in the room with a cup of tea, giving to him. He then raised a brow at her in confusion which upon noticing, made her laugh as she commented. "Don't worry, it's hot choco. Found it in the kitchen."

Red looked at the cup, seeing his reflection in the surface of the chocolate tea before he blew unto it and drink some of it, his eyes widening as his mouth started moving. "It's…good…"

"Of course! You may be an awesome cook but I'm the queen of making tea." Leaf said, puffing her chest. She then took another cup from the kitchen, sipping it as she looked at her roommate, sitting by the foot of his bed with a smile on her face as she looks at him and asks. "Red…are you alright?"

Upon hearing the question, Red looks at her only to see her showing a worried expression as she put her cup by the dresser and placed a hand on his head. "You're a lot warmer than usual and you've been on edge since the tournament has started. You're waking up earlier, sleeping late. Even your Pokemon are worried about you."

Leaf then scooted closer to him, brushing his hair out of his face to get a better look at him. As she did, she frowned, seeing the exhausted look on the raven haired teen's face. "You even have bags under your eyes. This ain't good, Red. Are you really ok?"

Red descended his gaze to his tea, spinning the cup before taking another sip. Thinking about the situation, he wonders as he once again is face to face with his reflection in the hot chocolate. 'It doesn't hurt if I tell her, does it?'

"If you don't wanna say it right now, it's fine. Just know that I'll be here to help if you want it. I owe you for what you've done for me and Leaf Green does not go back on those." She said, puffing her chest once again before returning to sipping her hot chocolate. Red nods, thanking her for the tea as they both talked for half an hour about any topic that came to mind. Realizing that it's still too early, Leaf opted to go back to sleep, a smile on her face before she said something to Red. "You better rest today. You…need it."

'Thanks Leaf.' Red said as he closes his eyes.

After an hour, he finds himself being unable to sleep, twisting and turning to make himself comfortable which amounted to nothing when he is still wide awake. He then sighs before he groggily but quietly gets up and sneaks out of the room, opening the door which starts to creak unexpectedly loud, him being glad that Leaf has not noticed. Despite the noise, he is able to creep out and close the door before he quietly walks towards to the outside front section of the ship, ultimately making it there as he leans by the railing, feeling hot as he looks to the direction of Vermilion City. He then descends to the floor, allowing the wind to go through his hair as he closes his eyes, feeling the ache in his head subsiding after some time.

"Red Fires…" He hears, opening his eyes to see legs in front of him. He then lifts his gaze to see Leaf with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face as her aquamarine eyes look down on him. She then crouches until she is eye level with him, glaring daggers into his eyes before she sits beside him, much to Red's confusion as he turns towards the brunette. They stayed like that for minutes, basking in the sunlight coming from the sunrise and the breeze that accompanied it until Leaf decided to break the silence.

"Are you having fun in this tournament?" As she asked the question, she received a skeptical glance by Red before she continued. "I'm just hoping that I wasn't too…overbearing and dragged you into this tournament…if you want to quit, you can…I was just…so excited to join that I dunno if I'm forcing you or anything…"

Red blinks in confusion before he starts to chuckle which confused the brunette as she turns to him with a raised brow. He then starts to laugh, trying his best to hold back his laughter before the brunette punch him in the arm. "Ow!"

"That's what you get, jerk!" Leaf said before he crossed her arms and scoffs, turning her head away from him. He then apologizes to her which did not change her mood before he sighs and looks towards the sky, immediately immersed by the orange clouds in the sky and the sun that is slowly coming over the horizon. The brunette followed his line of sight, slightly annoyed by his silent, more than usual, behavior before she hears him speak.

"My mom."

"Huh?"

"I…wanted to win this tournament…for the prize money so I could get my mom a present. It's almost her birthday and I wanted to get something nice for her." Red said, resting his head on his knees as he awaited a response. Leaf is speechless, previously thinking that she had done something wrong until she heard his response. Awestruck, she then looks at him before she smiles and puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't expect that. Most trainers would do this either for training, social recognition or fame. To think you were doing it for your mother…that's sweet." She says with a huge smile on her face. The raven haired trainer looked at her in disbelief before thanking her, a small smile on his face. They both then turned to the sky, watching the clouds go by and the sun taking its spot in the sky.

"Some trainers forget their parents until their journey is finished. Too absorbed in training. Wanting to be the best. Showing their worth. Friends. Some of them need to take a page out of your book." Leaf said in a melancholic tone which did not go unnoticed by Red. Noticing his confused look on her, she then look at her gloves and twiddled her fingers before continuing. "Sorry. I…I just did not have a good sendoff when I was starting my journey. My dad was ok for the most part however my mom…I had a huge argument with her…didn't go well. She never spoke to me again, she doesn't even call me anymore…"

After she told her story, it was then Red's turn to comfort her as he puts a hand on her shoulder which made the girl smile before she scoots closer and hugs him, hiding the tears that threatened to come out of her eyes. Surprised by the hug, he got over it as she returned it and rub the brunette's back which got a giggle from her. "I just wish…that argument did not happen. I want to talk back with my mom again."

Hearing her, Red looked down on the floor of the dock with a melancholic expression, understanding her pain and frustration. After his father's death and the fire that engulfed Pallet Academy, his mother never spoke to him from a mother's perspective again, instead she insults him and lets out her frustration on him. She stopped caring for him. Before he knew it, he had to cook and take care of himself until he left the house for his journey, leaving without receiving a farewell from her.

"Red." Leaf said, knocking Red out of his stupor and getting his attention.

"Thanks for everything." She said as she put her chin on his shoulder, tightening her grip on him before she resumed. "For helping with the gym battle in Cerulean City…helping me with the incident with the Gothitelle…teaming up with me in this tournament and now this…I'm supposed to be helping you but I end up getting the treatment instead. What did I do to deserve this?"

As she asks her question, she lets go of Red, looking him in the eyes with a devious smile when she got close enough that their nose are touching.

"Is there something you're not telling me, Red? Do you have a crush on me or something?" She said with mischief present in her tone, not realizing that her face is slowly turning pink. Red starts to blush at the question, unable to step back due to her hold on him, him noticing that her arms are around his neck. Unable to break free, he could only sigh as she plays with his hair, getting the space he needs when he starts muttering silently. "Do I need a reason to help?"

The brunette's eyes widened in awe as she heard his answer before she giggled, resting her head on his and saying. "I guess you don't. Thanks. I owe you more now it seems."

After she stated this, she then snuggles with him a smile on her face while Red simply sighs and leans against the railing as they both enjoy the view of the sunrise.

As the morning starts and everyone congregates the ship, anxious for the next matches of the tournament as they comment and make their bets for who they believe will win. The match today is between Blue and Yellow against two Ace trainers. Leaf dragged Red into the crowd to watch the battle, excited to see the battle while her friend simply looks down, feeling melancholic but trying his best to smile for the brunette's sake. The match started with a stalemate despite the two Ace trainers having a type advantage however everything changed when Blue switches his Pokemon for his starter, Charmeleon.

Within minutes, the Fire type took out most of the Ace trainers team with a little of Yellow's help before her Pokemon decided to do cleanup and took care of the rest, resulting in their win of the match. Everyone was excited but most were slightly disappointed due to the swiftness of the fight, it did not take as long as most fights in the quarter-finals do and the fight was a one sided battle.

"Awww… darn it, Blue. I wanted to see more…" Leaf whined with a pout on her face. Red looks at her, unconsciously letting out a chuckle which made her glare at him, making him put his hands on his mouth upon being noticed. She smiles deviously before putting her arms around his neck which made him give her a confused look before she gets close to the point that their lips are almost touching. The raven haired teen starts to blush furiously due to the move and the various looks that he is getting from the crowd around him.

"What's wrong, cutie?" She said seductively as she used her fingers to pull Red's cap out of his hair, giggling at his reaction. As she was about to do so, Red held her hand which surprised her before she noticed the uncomfortable look on his face. She then realized something before she asks him a question. "You're not good with crowds, are you?"

She receives her answer in the form of Red shaking his head before she lets go of him and looks at the people around them giving them looks before both of the teenagers sigh and go along their business. After Blue's match, both trainers go to the front of the boat, Leaf enjoying the view of the water while Red talks and plays with his Pokemon. After a few minutes of peace and tranquility, a voice pierced the atmosphere that cause Leaf to groan and Red to be on alert.

"Why if it isn't Weed?" Red turns around to see Jessica with her crew, walking up to them with smug expressions on their face.

"Uuugghh. Jessica…" The brunette groaned through gritted teeth, not even bothering to look at the pink haired girl. After a moment of preparation, Leaf turns towards the group, her face showing a bored look before she exhaustingly asked. "What do ya want?"

"Oh! How mean! I just want to wish my next opponents good luck…cause you're gonna need it." Jessica said in a fake tone, looking hurt. Seeing the annoyed expression on Leaf's face made a smile appear on the pink haired girl's face before she turns to Red, her eyes widening when she sees his Milotic, her face instantly changing to that of surprise.

"A-a shiny Milotic?! How?! Aren't those things rare?!" She said as she ran up to the Pokemon, observing its beauty. She then glares at the owner with hatred in her eyes as she walks up to him, crossing her arms as Red looks at her in confusion.

"So you're the trainer with the shiny Milotic that everyone's talking about…" She mumbled before she puts a finger on her lip, thinking of something before she smiles as she gets closer to the red capped trainer.

"I'm sorry for what my friend did to you the other day. He just had a bad day. Right, Mike?" Jessica said, looking at the brown haired boy of her group. The brunette boy, now known as Mike, was about to disagree until he sees the intense glare that the pink haired girl was giving him, instantly nodding before he says. "Y-yeah. Sorry about last time. T-the guards gave me a hard time. So bygones?"

He then made a fake smile as he outstretched his hand, waiting for a handshake. Red looks at him with a confused expression before raising his hands to his head which shows that he has forgiven him, much to Leaf's surprise. Mike smiled before wrapping his arm around the raven haired trainer's neck, pulling him closer as he whispers. "So why don't you join our group, huh? You could get all the chicks, bro."

Hearing the request, Red smiles as he shakes his head, refusing the brunette boy's offer as he tries to remove Mike's hand and return to playing with his Pokemon however failed due to his injuries and inability to use one of his arms.

"What's wrong? You mute or something?" Mike said with a raised brow, getting another shake of the head from the raven haired teen whose Pokemon notice how visibly uncomfortable he was in the situation.

_'I don't like where this is going.'_ Luxio said as he walk towards Mike, electricity crackling from his fur.

"What? You think you hot shit because you got a shiny Milotic? Feel big cause you beat Klaus?" Mike said, irritation in his tone before Red looking at him in confusion before he shakes his head. Getting angered by the red capped teen's silence, he starts to twitch before Meowth playfully hops on his hand, biting it. "Owwww! The fuck?!"

"Meowth! Why did you do that?" Red said to the Pokemon who smiles upon seeing the pain of Mike before purring. _'Sorry. I had a nightmare.'_

Red silently apologizes to the brunette who is tending to his wound, looking at the raven haired teen angrily while he tightly clenches his good hand, trying his best to hold the anger in him. Red was going to help him until Milotic shoots a small Water Pulse which caused him to slip, his cast hitting Mike on his shin, causing a pained yell. Hearing the boy scream in pain while holding his shin made Leaf put a hand on her mouth, trying her best to hold back her laughter when she sees Beedrill holding its trainer using String Shot. "I like how his Pokemon think."

She then notices that the other boys in the group are checking on Mike before they turn their attention to Red, ready to pummel him. Unaware of what had just happened and trying to get back his balance, the red capped trainer looks up to see various boys cracking their knuckles, his face falling when one of them grabs his jacket before readying his fist for an impact.

"No." They all turn to Leaf who has her hands on her hips before stepping between Red and the group, her glare locked on the group.

"I don't know what you want but don't put this adorable cupcake in this." She said, hugging Red and pushing his face to her chest while _glaring_ at the group. The boys were about to attack until they notice a group of guards appearing by the entrance, surveying the area which made them click their teeth as they give up, walking away, much to Red and Leaf's relief.

_'Hmmph! At least they are smart enough to value their lives.'_ Milotic said, Luxio and Beedrill nodding in agreement which made Red glad nothing happened.

"Hope you don't taint the stage with your mascara when you lose, Jessie." Leaf said in a taunting manner, which made Jessica flip her off before going back inside the ship.

"…fake bitch…" Leaf mutters as she glares at the girl until she and her group was out of sight. She then felt a tap on her shoulder, turning to Red who face is showing is in her chest. "Can you…let me go…please?"

Seeing that her little grab on his head messed up his hair and made his cap fall on the ground, making her able to see his eyes which shined in the evening light. She blushed before it was replaced with a smile. "Hmm. Why should I?"

"Wha-hmmmph!" Red was interrupted when Leaf pulled his face further in her chest, her smile growing wider at the reaction of the boy which overlapped her blushing embarrassment of what she was doing and his breath tickling he. "I-I'm sorry, Red. You were saying something?"

While the boy was flailing within her grasp, she then notices the bandages on his face, her smile falling as she slightly traces her finger across it, feeling a slight sick feeling in her stomach. Her body shivered when the memory flashed in her mind, literally making her zone out and not paying attention to her surroundings until she hears Red's voice.

"Leaf…"

"Yeah…oh yeah. Alright…sorry about that…" Leaf said, letting go of the teen which made him give her a look of confusion. She then walks back inside the ship, her destination being her room while leaving a confused Red.

Worry taking over him, Red returns his Pokemon save for a few and goes after the brunette, finding her in their room with her knees up to her chest and her face buried in her arms. The raven haired trainer lets his Pokemon on his bed before he walks over to Leaf, sitting beside her and putting a hand on her shoulder which made her look at him. "You ok?"

"Yeah…Just felt a little nauseous…" She said in a melancholic tone. Red nodded, understanding the situation before he goes into the kitchen, making Leaf raise a brow. After couple minutes, she starts to get lost in her thoughts, wondering what is Red doing before she feels a poke on her arm, looking up to see her silent roommate. Leaf did not have time to ask anything before Red lifts a mug to her, surprising the girl when she takes the mug and looks at him.

"Thought…you needed some tea…you know, for the nausea…" Red mumbles, stopping as he drinks his tea and goes to sit on his bed. The brunette looks at the mug, seeing hot chocolate in it along with her reflection before she smiles.

'This is just like him. One arm broken but he worrying over others than he does himself.' She thought, sipping the chocolate to realize it was delicious.

"Red…why is it that everything that your hand touches tastes ten times better? Seriously I might have some competition." Leaf said, walking over to the red capped teen and sitting beside him, getting a shrug from him as an answer.

She then looks at Red, seeing him hiding his face before she puts her hand on his cheek, knocking off his cap from his head which almost made him drop his mug. Laying her teacup on the table, she then uses her other hand to play with his hair, removing some of the bangs from his face, smiling at the result which is Red's full face in full display. Having a playful smirk, she then traces her fingers along his cheek before pinching them, enjoying the expressions that he's making.

"Leaf, can you stop please?" Leaf stops to see a blush on the boy's face as he unknowingly gives her a pleading look, the girl not sure if he's doing it on purpose or by pure accident. Putting her hand on her chin, she pretended to think, enjoying the sight of the expressions on Red's exposed face before she says. "No. I don't know when I'll get this chance again to play with your face. If you'll be a good boy, you might get a kiss."

Seeing the boy head turning to his namesake, she giggles at his reaction before she hugs him, surprising him until he hears her say. "Thank you. You always know how to cheer me up."

"More like you know how to cheer up yourself at my expense…" Red mumbled quietly as she continues hugging him, nuzzling her cheek against his.

Leaf then noticed that she's not feeling hands around her until she feels a pat on her back, pouting due to the lack of arms wrapping around her. Sighing, she holds his hand and put it around her before whispering in his ears. "You can hug me, you know. You can even cop a feel if you want to."

Red sighs before he hugs her back, surprising Leaf until she enjoys the embrace from the silent teen. As they continued the hug, Red had an idea, wanting payback for the times the brunette keeps messing with him. He smirks before he starts tickling her which lets her erupt in laughter, much to her surprise as she flails around. She tries to escape but was unable to when she realizes that the raven haired teen keeps his hold on her, letting her fall prey to his tickling. "Red, hahahahaha! Please stop! Hahaha! C'mon, Red!"

She receives her answer in the form of Red intensifying the tickling session, showing no sign of holding back or stopping. The brunette tries to fight back but failed as she had to succumb to the action, glaring at Red despite her laughing expression. Minutes passed until Red stopped, leaving an exhausted Leaf who is sprawled out on his bed, panting heavily as she wipes the tears from her eyes.

"Red…that was…unfair…" She said between pants, getting a smirk from the raven haired teen. When she gains enough energy, she is able to get up before pushing the boy down on the bed, getting on top to prevent him from escaping as she exact her revenge while she holds his arm in place.

"Arms where I can see them, Red Fires. You're under arrest and you have the right to be silent, handsome." Leaf said, a huge smirk on her face as Red struggle against her only to fail. She then starts playing with his sides, relishing the silent reactions the boy has before he was able to wiggle free of her hold and made his counterattack. As this happened, their Pokemon watch, they smiled as some of them screams commands.

_'Leaf, use Bite!'_ Buneary shouted excitedly, surprised when Lead bit Red on his neck multiple times. _'T-that actually works!'_

_'Red, counterattack with Tickle. Don't let her win.'_ Beedrill said in defiance, raising her stingers. Red endured the brunette's bites before he starts tickling her which made her loosen her hold on him.

_'You can do this, Leaf. Use Bind!'_ Wartortle yelled, clenching his fists. The girl then was able to break free from his assault before she holds him still and constricts him to the bed with her on top.

The Pokemon continued spouting commands as their trainers wrestled against each other, everyone having fun. After a while, both teens were sprawled on the bed, panting heavily as exhaustion took its toll on them. After a few minutes of rest, Leaf pouts while she looks at her roommate who is still on his back, catching his breath before she jumps on his lap, looking down at the boy with a pout on her face. "I hope you know that you got lucky."

"Says the girl that was crying 'Uncle' for the last couple minutes. Lost to a guy with one arm." Red said with a smirk, making Leaf's heart flutter upon seeing it. She then gets up and turns away from him, hiding her blush as her thoughts go awry. 'Red…Red, Red, Red. The things I would do to him would be illegal and I'm the police girl.'

"You ready for tomorrow?" Red asks the girl who turns around with a huge smile on her face.

"You bet! I'm gonna enjoy slapping that smug look off Jessica's face!" Leaf said, suddenly anxious for the upcoming match as she tries her best to contain her excitement before she jumps on her bed. Red smiles upon seeing her relax before she gets up, picks up her mug and sipping it until she notices him, a smile on her face when she sees him turning his gaze to somewhere else. "Like what you see?"

"Oh. Sorry. I'm just glad that you're alright, Leaf. If…if you have any problems, I will be here to help you." He said with a smile on his face. Upon seeing his face, Leaf's heart starts beating fast before she turns around, grabbing her mug and drinking it to hide her face from Red.

'He looks ten times cuter without his hair in his face. Reference for the future.' She thought, a smile on her face as she made a mental note. She then notices a couple red marks on his neck and shoulders from their intense frolicking, making her face more red as she sees his disheveled look on the bed which made her bite her lip as she mumbles. "Oh sweet mother of Arceus and Mew…"

"What's…wrong, Leaf?" Red said, making Leaf's face turn more to his namesake as she hears how out of breath he is. She then tell him that they both need to bathe as he goes in the bathroom first which her crossing her fingers as she thought. 'Please wash away. Please wash away. He looks way too damn hot with those marks. And I dunno why it feels more hotter that I did it even if it wasn't intentional.'

After a few minutes, she sees him, she was able to see that some of the marks have disappeared, thanking the heavens that tomorrow is not her match. The two spend the rest of the day talking with each other before night came when they go to sleep in preparation or the rest of the tournament. Days passed as the last match of the quarter finals was done, the battle done in a flash by Zane and his partner Eric who both didn't lose a Pokemon and finish the battle in record timing, much to Leaf's and Blue's surprise and excitement.

The morning that starts the first match of the semi-final came in a flash, Red waking up to see Leaf not in her bed and the bathroom lights on. After a couple of minutes of him stretching and exercising as much as he could with one arm, he hears the door opening, revealing his roommate with only a towel wrapped around her body. Noticing him, Leaf smiled seductively as she opens her towel before Red quickly scrambles his clothes together and rushes into the bathroom and closing it out of embarrassment, much to the brunette's glee and amusement. 'He's too much fun to mess with.'

After getting himself ready, Red comes out of the bathroom, wearing a black hoodie and a dark blue jeans and red sneakers before he hears a voice.

"Looking good, handsome." Leaf commented, walking up to him, wearing a cream blouse and a green skirt with a flower pattern. She then looks at Red, frowning before knocking his cap off his head, a smile on her face as she looks at the full outfit now.

'And done. That's better. Thankfully, most of the marks are gone but…' She thought before she notices him going towards the cap before grabbing it and putting it in her bag.

"No caps today, sweetie. It ruins the outfit, trust me." She said in an annoyed tone, her hands on her hips.

"Bu-"

"No buts, Red." Leaf said, putting a finger on his mouth which made him silent. Smiling, she then locks arms with him before running out of their room. After a few minutes, they arrived on the battlefield, immediately hearing the multitude of voices in the crowd that are eager to see the first match of the semi-finals. Excitement present on her face which also shows in her grip on Red's arm strengthening, the brunette sees her opponent at the other side of the field, her face changing into that of a frown when her eyes lay on Jessica. Upon looking at the two girls, Red seems intimidated as he feels the tension rising from both female trainers.

"I'm going to enjoy this." Leaf said, a look of confidence on her face. Red sighs before he readies a Great Ball, seeing his opponents did the same as Leaf's Buneary appears out of its ball and unto Leaf's shoulder, getting ready for battle as they all await the referee's orders.

"LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!"

**I honestly don't know what I was doing for this chapter but I thought we needed some insight into what happened before Leaf's journey and everything about it. I think after that Klaus battle, they needed some rest but not to worry, we're gonna be having the next couple chapters being tournament heavy, especially the finals, I think. Thanks for the support guys. Really thankful for it. I've been having a slight writer's block lately sorry about the late chapters. You guys will be getting the next chapter soon. Take care and stay safe, guys!**


	34. Chapter 33: Catfight

A single moment.

It was at that moment. That single moment that the referee announced the start of the battle, three trainers threw their capsules in the air releasing their respective Pokemon, their voices echoing through the corners of the stadium, soothing the anxiousness of the crowd.

"Let's go Buneary!"

"Crush them, Bonnie!"

"Purrloin, give them a show!"

"Meowth, I need your help."

Four Pokemon appear on the field, a Buneary and Meowth on Leaf's side of the field and a Purrloin and another Buneary on Jessica's side. Within seconds, both rabbits lunge toward each other, the result being a skirmish before they clash with the two of them engaging in a struggle, neither Pokemon not succumbing to the other until they jump back, their trainers, Leaf and Jessica, having one thought in mind. 'I'm gonna beat this bitch!'

"Water Pulse, Bonnie!" Jessica said, not missing a beat as her Pokemon followed, shooting the move.

Leaf smiles as she nods at her Buneary, it using Thunder Punch to stop the Water Pulse which made the move dissipate, descending on the field. Before they could plan a counter attack, they notice Bonnie in the air, its ears glowing as it rolls them back and attack, Leaf's Pokemon able to dodge the attack before it hears its trainer's reply. "Double Hit to counter!"

Upon hearing her, the Normal type hops forward, attack with strikes that are able to counter Bonnie's Dizzy Punch. The crowd cheer to the top of their lungs when both rabbits get into a heated boxing match, neither backing down. Their strikes intensified between the two Normal types which gets the audience at the edge of their seat as they cheer on for their team to win. Within an instant, Jessica's Buneary is able to get the upper hand, knocking back Leaf's own for a moment before using the time to use its next attack which is a Sky Uppercut, sending a blow to its opponent which knocks it into the air, causing a plethora of gasps from the crowd. In midair, Buneary recovered when it hears the sound of Leaf's voice, looking down on the field before its eyes until it focuses on Bonnie, hearing its trainer's command. "Jump Kick, Buneary! Don't give up!"

It then nodded before it descends, letting out its foot as it directs itself towards its opponent, kicking Jessica's Pokemon which caused the crowd to go wild, some jumping out of their seats.

"Man, this fight is awesome!"

"Hell yeah! Those two Bunearys are hardcore! Damn! Another hit to the stomach!"

"Hey! Don't forget the literal catfight on the other side of the field!"

On the other side of the battle, Meowth and Purrloin are trading blows, one not giving the other any room to recuperate which is getting Jessica's partner, Nia, slightly worried. 'They're both evenly matched but it looks like his Meowth is not breaking a sweat. I need to find a way to overpower him now and I think I have just the idea.'

"Hone Claws now!" Nia commands quickly as her Purrloin prepares to sharpen its claws. Before it commences the move, it glances at Meowth who taunted it, saying. _'Afraid that you can't handle me, huh? Sad, I expected more from you.'_

A vein appeared on the Dark type head as it rushes angrily at Meowth, much to its trainer's confusion. _'You little…'_

"Purrloin wait!" Nia exclaimed however it was too late as her Pokemon quickly become victim to a Fury Swipes move. Before long, the two felines exchange strikes, using their Scratch and Fury Swipes attack until Purrloin hears its trainers command, using Assist which made its tail glow blue, much to Red's surprise. 'Aqua Tail!'

"Meowth, dodge then Feint Attack." He countered back. In a burst of speed, Meowth avoids the attack before it slaps Purrloin's tail, making it hit its opponent in its face.

Getting hit by its own Aqua Tail causes the Dark type to stagger in its step before it became prey to Fury Swipe assault until it faints, much to Nia's dismay. She returns her Pokemon before something caught her and Red's attention, turning to see a slugfest between the Bunearys. They along with the rest of the crowd seeing it ending with both using their strongest moves, Leaf's own using Jump Kick and Jessica's Bonnie using Sky Uppercut. As both attacks connect, both trainers wince as their Pokemon withstand the others attack, not giving in as they both retreat back however are both panting heavily and barely conscious. As both Leaf and Jessica are ready to make a move, both Pokemon collapse unto the floor, unable to continue fighting which made the crowd quiet before they start to cheer loudly.

"Wow! That was crazy!"

"Damn! They're going off! What a scrapfest!"

"Easily one of my favorite battles so far! I gotta show this to my son when I go home."

Returning their Pokemon, Leaf caressed her Buneary's Pokeball, whispering words of gratitude to it before she hears a laugh, looking towards Jessica until the pink haired girl speaks. "I'm surprised, Weed. Who knew you could battle? I thought your partner there has been carrying you through this tournament."

"Why don't you shut up and battle, you damn plastic doll?" The brunette retorted with a scowl.

Jessica's eye starts twitching, her hands clenching as she was about to say something only to be interrupted when the referee clears his throat, making her grit her teeth when she looks at Leaf who sticks her tongue at her. Red quietly laugh at the antics of his partner and her opponent until he hears Nia. "Marill, take the spotlight."

A blue round mouse appears on the field, looking at Meowth who is napping, much to everyone surprise as most of the audience start laughing with some of them shaking their heads.

"That Meowth will never cease to amaze me."

"C'mon, Meowth! You can do it! You too, Red!" A girl said in the crowd before more girls join her, rooting for Red. Hearing them and seeing a devious and cheeky smile from his Meowth made him blush until he pulled his hoodie over his face out of embarrassment.

"Awww. He's shy. That's sooo adorable."

"Yep! He's like a Pokemon himself."

"If he was, I'd happily catch in a Luxury ball!"

Hearing the comments and squeals from the females, Leaf starts pouting and folding her arms after releasing her Nidoran on the battlefield, thoughts going through her head. '…I caught him first…'

The brunette looks at Red before he notices her and waves at her, making her blush as she turns around and folds her arms before she hears Jessica releases her Pokemon, a little fairy holding a flower who smiles and floats around in a playful mood.

"I'm gonna crush this bitch." Jessica said seriously, her hands clenching into fists before she turns to her partner. "Nia, assistance."

Nia nods in agreement before the pink haired girl yells a command. "Fairy Wind now!"

"Use Helping Hand, Marill."

As both trainers made their orders, Marill starts cheering Floette as the Fairy type starts spinning, a gale of sparkling wind erupts from it, hitting both Nidoran and Meowth who tries their best to endure the attack. Seeing the struggle of both Pokemon, Leaf spouts commands that are unable to be done due to the strong pressure of the Fairy Wind move which made an idea pop in Red's head as he whispers to his partner.

"Ok. So I'm going to stop the Helping Hand but I'm going to need you to distract them so that their focus will be off Meowth. Alright?" He said to which Leaf smiles and nods. After they finished, Leaf spouts another slew of commands making everyone confused as her partner mouths something, Meowth's ears twitching before it sticks its tongue out and teasing Marill which did not go unnoticed by its trainer.

"What's it doi-" She could not finish her statement when the Water type charges forward, much to her dismay. As it does so, Marill fell prey to Floette's attack, being blown towards its opponents' direction. As it travels across the field, it was hit by a Poison Tail from Nidoran which knocks it into Meowth who uses Fury Swipes on it. Floette's attack became weaker which made Nidoran able to run forward, hitting the Fairy type with a Poison Tail.

"What's wrong, Barbie? Didn't you say something about crushing me?" Leaf teased with a smug look, happy with the reaction that she's getting from Jessica. The pink haired girl calms herself before she states her next move. "Magical Leaf, Floette."

"Rollout, Marill. On Meowth." Nia said. Listening to its trainer's commands, Marill curls itself into a ball before it rolls towards Meowth who avoids the attack before it and Nidoran get pelted by Floette's Magical Leaf move. As their Pokemon is getting assaulted by the attacks of Floette and Marill, Red thought quickly when he snaps his fingers, saying. "Fury Swipes to counter the leaves and then use Taunt to lure Marill."

Nodding, the Normal type uses its claws to slash the leaves, creating an opening before it teases Marill which angered the blue mouse, making it chase it. Red watches and directs Meowth as it leads the Water type towards Floette, quickly sidestepping which made both Marill and Floette hit each other, much to their trainers' surprise.

"Leaf, now!" Red said to Leaf, making her smile when she voices her command. "Poison Tail, Nidoran!"

"Oh no! Stop it, Floette!"

"On your feet now, Marill!"

Both trainers exclaimed however they was too late as both Marill and Floette was hit by Nidoran's Poison Tail, knocking them unconscious. The crowd bellowed with mixed reaction, some cheering for Red and Leaf and the others feeling disappointed by Jessica and Nia while others encourage them on a comeback.

"Damn that bitch…" Jessica's mumbled, gritting her teeth and twitching, making Nia walk back. After a few seconds of cursing under her breath, the teen raised her head, showing a smile that caused a chill to go up Red's spine which did not go unnoticed by Leaf who smiles at the girl's shift in emotions. The pink haired girl haired girl glared at her opponent, returning her Floette and taking out another Pokeball which upon closer inspection looks like a Luxury Ball, gripping it like a vice before she aggressively throws it in the air, releasing a bipedal plant like creature that starts spinning on the field before it looks at its opponent with an intimidating glare.

"A Steenee, huh? So her Bounsweet evolved…" Leaf said, keeping her Nidoran, who seems to be anxious, on the field. Red, on the other hand, sees Meowth's wounded condition before he decided to go to the field and pick up the Normal type, much to its confusion as it protested. _'Hey! I can still fight!'_

"You're too injured. You need to rest. No buts." Her trainer rebutted, not letting go of her as he carried her to his stand, putting her beside his bag and offering to her a couple berries to which she reluctantly takes, purring in delight. Looking at Steenee, Red feels unnerved by its wicked glare, his thoughts making a comment. 'How does someone make such a cute Pokemon look so intimidating?'

He then throws a Pokeball at the same time as Nia, the girl cursing under her breath when she sees Red's Pokemon which is a Luxio compared to her Tranquill. As the battle starts again, Jessica's annoyance got the better of her when she made a command. "Razor Leaf now, Steenee."

"Air Cutter on the Razor Leaf!" Nia quickly said. The Pokemon complied, Steenee twirls its pigtails to shoot a barrage of sharp leaves before Tranquill wings starts glowing, flapping them to create a burst of wind that increases the speed of the Grass type move. Due to Red's quick thinking, Luxio jumps in front of Nidoran, using Spark which provided as a shield for the incoming attacks, the leaves being vaporized by the Electric type move. Nia clicked her tongue as she tells her Tranquill to use Quick Attack, the Pokemon dashing towards its opponent, its eyes focusing on Nidoran.

"I'm gonna give you an opening." Red said, catching Leaf's attention. When she looks at him with a raised brow, he turns to her with a smirk before continuing. "You wanna show Jessica who's boss, right? I'll help."

The brunette smiles before they both nodded, Leaf whispers to the boy. "Thank you, sweetie."

"Alright, Luxio. Throw Nidoran towards Steenee!" Red said. Luxio nods before it wraps its tail around Nidoran, making it panic until it sees the faces of it trainer and her partner which calms it down. In a split second, the Poison type was thrown into the air, surprising their opponents as the Poison Pin Pokemon steadies itself while it is making its way towards Steenee, who braces itself for impact. As both Pokemon collide into each, their trainers both had the same thought, making a command at the same time.

"Chip Away, Nidoran! /Steenee, Rapid Spin!"

Obeying, Nidoran charges forward, looking for its opponent's weak spot as Steenee starts spinning, increasing in speed by the second. Both Pokemon start to tackle each other, not giving the other the chance of victory as they continue charging and bash one another. As the clash continues on, Leaf's Pokemon became overwhelmed when Steenee became faster, resulting in it attacking more rapidly compared to the blue rodent. Watching the predicament of her Pokemon, Leaf bit her lip while she tries her best to counter the Grass type's assault, her efforts ending in failure when Nidoran gets knocked around until it sends it flying into Luxio who was busy with Tranquill. Caught off guard by the Pokemon and using its tail to put it down gently on the floor before continuing to fight the Flying type, the electric lynx suddenly felt sluggish and tired, its movements becoming slow which did not go unnoticed by Red who voiced his concern. "Luxio, are you ok?"

_'Yes. I'm…alright… Let's just get this over with.' _The Electric type reassured its trainer before it focuses its attention to its flying foe with a slightly panted breath which did not go unnoticed by Meowth.

It then came face to face with Tranquill who assaults him with a barrage of Quick Attack and Aerial Ace, much to Red's dismay until he notices the change in Luxio's behavior before it starts roaring loudly, wildly chasing after the Flying type. _'That's it! I'm tired of this!'_

As this was happening, Leaf and Jessica's Pokemon were in another skirmish as one charges the other, Nidoran using Bite and Steenee using Rapid Spin, the confrontation ending with the Grass type overwhelming the Poison type, much to Jessica's glee. "What's wrong, Weed? Losing your edge?"

The brunette bites her lip in worry, trying to think of a way out of the situation before she notices Red's Luxio wild look, a sign that its Guts ability. She then realizes that it is poisoned, thinking about what could be the cause before she remembers something. 'Wait. Did Nidoran do that? I always thought its ability was Rivalry.'

She then quickly checks her Pokedex, smiling once she finds the results as an idea popped in her mind.

"Curl into a ball now, Nidoran!" Leaf said with her hand outstretched, making her Pokemon confused by the order before it reluctantly nodded.

Obeying the order, the Poison type curls into a ball, making the points on its skin stick out like needles. Jessica laughed at the command and tell her Pokemon to continue when Steenee hits Nidoran, hitting it continuously until it made contact with its quills which cause it to recoil back in pain before it descends to its knees. Leaf smiles at the look at the pained expression on the Grass type's face, signaling that the Poison Point ability came into effect, much to her amusement as she voices her next command. "Use Poison Tail now!"

"C'mon, Steenee! Get up!" Jessica yelled at her Pokemon, her hands clenched into fists and her voice slightly crackling. Steenee tries to get up only to fall down due to its condition, unable to block or avoid the Poison Tail from Nidoran that knocked it on the head, slamming it face down on the floor. The Pokemon could not counter as it was hit by an assault of attacks from its opponent before Nidoran ends it by using Double Kick, sending the Grass type flying back.

"Now end it with Chip Away, Nidoran." Leaf said. Nidoran nodded as it starts lunging forward, Jessica mouthing commands to stop the attack which made its opponent rise from the ground, ready to attack much to both Leaf and Nidoran's dismay. However, before both of them or the crowd could react, a Pokemon immediately collided into the Grass-type, causing it to collapse under the Pokemon weight which caused the pink haired girl's eyes to widen as she recognizes it. "Wait! Isn't that…Tranquill?"

"Tranquill, get up." Nia stated. Although both members state their command, it all came to naught when Leaf's Nidoran quickly rushes towards them, the result being a tackle so strong that it knocks both Pokemon unconscious which caused Jessica and Nia along with the crowd to watch in awe and silence at the little Poison type's strength.

"What the-" Jessica could only say before the crowd erupt in cheers with some crying while some shouting in disappointment and frustration at the loss of Jessica and Nia. As the referee finishes checking the Pokemon for the final matches, he lifts his flags before descending them and announces the victory of Leaf and Red, who both high five each other before Leaf hugs Red tightly, incredibly happy that they are able to reach the finals.

"We're finally able to reach the finals!" The brunette said, skipping happily as the announcer spoke loudly to the masses.

"We see it but we can't believe it! Despite being rookies, they have blown through the competition, taking opponents big and small, fierce and strong and now they are advancing to the finals! Everyone, give a round of applause for the victors of this match: Red and Leaf!"

Hearing the crowd cheer and shout her name and watching the them go crazy brought a huge smile on Leaf's as she runs and hugs her Nidoran, feeling very giddy as she voices her thanks to the Poison type. She looks at Red, who smiles as he pets his Meowth and Luxio before he gives her a thumbs up. As she turns towards her opponents, her expression falls when she sees Jessica's twitching angrily while returning her Pokemon before she starts to pout. She then stomps the floor angrily and gripped her clothes intensely, ready to curse a slew of words before she was stopped by Nia who escorts her out of the arena, much to her dismay when she sees the smug look on Leaf's face.

"How does defeat taste, Jessica?" Leaf taunted, her Buneary grinning at the look on the pink haired girl's face. Losing control of herself due to her anger, Jessica shouted a string of curse words that would make a Trubbish look clean and neat as she is pulled from the stage by her partner, Leaf taking out a camera as she records the scene which made Red facepalm at the girl's actions.

"I love this! I'm not gonna let her live this down anytime soon." The brunette said before she and Red exits the stage. As they both were on their way to the cafeteria of the ship, they both were stopped as Leaf had to go take a pit stop, happy that there was a restroom that is in the hallway of the arena.

"Hey, Red. Can you…wait a bit please? Gotta go real quick." She said, a slight blush on her face. The raven haired teen nods, leaning on the wall and waiting for her which made her smile as she runs through the door like a Tauros. Red chuckled at the action as he pets Meowth's hair as Poliwag released itself from its capsule before jumping into Red's arms, enjoying the embrace when the boy decides to rubs its head.

_'Hey trainer. I heard from big sis that you make a good Berry porridge…can I…'_ The Water type paused, feeling as he recollects his words.

"Yes, you can, Poliwag." Red said before the blue tadpole could finish, making the Pokemon happy as it jumps in joy, getting a laugh from the teen. It then stops jumping as he asks another request. _'C-can you call me Poli, please?'_

"Poli?" Red asked. Poliwag nods as he jumps on the ground and turns to his trainer. _'Yeah. It's such a cool name. I mean imagine it. Poli the Poliwag! Right?'_

Red smiles as he nodded as he says. "Alright, you got me convinced. Nice to meet you, Poli. You can call me Red."

The Water type smiled and blow bubbles in happiness before using its tail to shake his trainer's hand. Upon hearing the words 'Berry Porridge', Meowth ears starts perking up until she looks at Luxio who is sitting down beside his trainer, licking his paw. She then jumps down from Red's shoulder when she asks the Electric type a question. _'What on earth is Berry Porridge?'_

_'Arceus' gift to us.'_ Luxio said with a straight face. The Normal type was surprised by the answer that Luxio gave her before she continued. _'I-is it that good?'_

_'Definitely! Something blessed Red's hands when he's cooking.'_ Hearing what Luxio made Meowth before she walks over to Red, gripping on his jeans which catches his attention when he looks down at her_. 'Can I also get some of this Berry Porridge as well? And how come you didn't tell me you could cook?'_

"You never asked. Also, I caught you recently so you would not have known." Red explain simply, the cat unable to make a rebuttal before she mutters. _'You got me there. Just…let me get some next time.'_

After they finished their conversation, Red notices Zane and his partner who's with a boy taller than him with brown shaggy hair and black eyes and is wearing a white t-shirt with a Pokeball on the center and blue jeans and grey sneakers. They were both down the hallway, walking up to him with a scowl on his face. Red picks up Poli and moves out of the way, thinking that the purple haired boy is going to go pass him. He was caught by surprise when he dodges a fist to the face and then is immediately held against the wall by the collar, making him quickly return Poli and causing his Pokemon to retaliate before they hear Zane's voice.

"What the hell, Eric?!" The purple haired said, dragging his friend off Red. The boy, who is now known as Eric, looks at him in confusion before he states his mind. "What? You told me you wanted to know how good he is."

"In a battle. Not a fistfight, Eric." Zane said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh…" Eric said quietly as he realized what he has done. He then bows and outstretches his hand before he says. "Sorry."

Red looks at the boy's hand before he smiles and shakes his hand, much to the trainers' surprise. Eric feels better as he starts shaking hands. While both boys conversed, Zane observes Red's demeanor and actions, seeing the teen take care and calms down his Pokemon and their reactions toward his orders and gestures, recognizing the close relationship between trainer and Pokemon.

'Yep. Lucario was right. He's definitely different. It's almost like he understands what they're saying.' He thought before he comes into the conversation, speaking to Red. "Honestly, I didn't expect you to reach so far, Red. I thought you were just some run of the mill trainer but…I can see that you try to understand your Pokemon. That's the type of trainer that I'm looking for in this tournament."

"Yeah! And dude, what's with your battle style? It's so…" The shaggy haired brunette paused as he searches for a word, stopping as he resumes. "…unique."

Red shrugged as he thinks about it himself. For as long as he knew, he always likes to know the Pokemon before going into a battle, observe their behavior, watch them in the wildlife and their natural habitats and how they approach conflict since he was young. Before he realized it, he uses that same mentality into battle.

"Well, even though I don't understand how you fight, I have to say that you're a good trainer and I'm looking forward to our battle in the finals." Zane said as he leaves, Eric patting Red's back before he follows behind Zane.

'Wait. Finals? Our battle was the first semi-final match. Don't they have to battle Blue and Yellow first?' Red mentally said with a raised eyebrow. Seeing Red's confused expression, Zane simply turns and smiles at him before walking away. As they left, the raven haired boy scratches his cheek in confusion as a thought comes over his head. 'Are they really that strong?'

Leaf exits the restroom as she looks at Red who is looking in the distance, walking towards him before she waves her hand in front of his face, knocking him out of his stupor.

"What's wrong?" She asked him, concerned. Red simply waves his hands and says nothing which made her squint her eyes at him. After a few seconds of visual interrogation, Leaf simply shrugs before she locked arms with him and drags him towards the cafeteria as both trainers begin to celebrate their advance to the finals.

"I-is what you're saying true, Clarence? Did that really happen?" Klaus said, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. Clarence nods as he reads the articles on the computer, his expression showing his surprise and shock as he passes each sentence. The fisherman smiles wickedly as he drinks his tea, slurping it before he asks for the man to print the information.

"This is good development. Amazing development." The man said as he stares out of the window, scratching his greyish hair before he continues. "Things are going in our favor."

After Clarence finishes printing the documents and articles, he groups the papers together and put them into a file jacket before putting it onto the fisherman's table. Klaus' smile could not get any bigger as he eyes the folder, grinning as he takes up the folder and opens it, the first page showing a picture of a younger version of Red. The man then laughs as he puts down the paper and says.

"Let's hope that the boy's prepared. This may be the last tournament that he will ever see."

**It's done. Nothing here but the finals! Yeah! Sorry if this battle was a little lackluster, it's not everyone in the final stretch is going to be a threat. The next chapters may take a little bit before they get out. Also, thank you guys for your thoughts and everything. Well, I hope you all enjoy yourself and keep yourselves safe out there. Enigma out!**


End file.
